The Start of it All
by PLAIDunderpants
Summary: Silver and Jim have reunited, four years after discovering Treasure Planet. While catching up with each other, Jim manages to get Silver to tell the story of what began his life-obsession. Rom/Adv/Fant/Trag Current chapters being beta-read by EsmeAmelia
1. Graduate

Chapter One - Graduate

It was a night of celebration. Drums and tambourines set a fast paced tempo. A piano, flute and guitar were singing a song to make even the sourest of old men want to have his moment on the dance floor. The Benbow Inn was packed to the walls, dancing room only, the building thudding with the vibrations of the music. The entire inn was booked for this moment of commemoration. Drinks and good cheer were being passed around as often as dance partners and laughter filled every corner of the room. One could look around them and see for themselves that there wasn't a face in the whole building that didn't have a joyous smile. Save for one.

James Hawkins wasn't smiling or laughing. Sure, he was happy. He was thankful to everyone who came to his celebration. But he wasn't thinking about celebrating right now. In fact, he was ignoring most of what was going on around him. He didn't notice the people's smiles. He didn't pay attention to the upbeat dance music. At that particular moment, Jim was lightly pressing his hand against the large window in front of him, staring out at the sky with what most people might say was a wishful look. Anyone else in that room could look out that window and see exactly what Jim was seeing: Just a few feet outside the inn was a huge drop where a cliff started. Beyond the cliff was an endless sea of blue-black, riddled with the bright lights from stars and distant planets. The Spaceport was hidden behind the massive clouds that were slowly invading from opposite sides of the window. In the distance there was a small ship, only recognizable by the light reflecting off of its solar sails. All of these were and weren't what was Jim was paying attention to. He was looking at the clouds in the sky to be certain, but no one else would ever see what he saw. The clouds were rolling, breaking and connecting again in different spots, creating a picture in the sky as clouds often do. The moment Jim had looked out the window these clouds had painted a picture just for him. As the distant ship passed through the clouds, its light became a part of the face Jim was seeing; a smiling face of someone he had come to know and love, the ship's light doubling as a twinkle in one of the eyes of this cloudy persona.

A small smile curled up one side of Jim's face as he rested his forehead against the windowpane. "If only you could see me now," he whispered. "I did it, Silver. I did something right. I just wish you were here with me, catching some of my light that you always talked of. You'd be proud." His thoughts seemed to trail off as a gust of wind dispersed the cloud and the ship moved on towards its destination on Montressor, somewhere fairly near the Benbow.

"Jim, honey, are you alright?"

Still leaning against the window, Jim dropped his hand and turned his head so that he could face his mother. "Yeah, I'm fine." Sarah smiled and moved a lock of Jim's bangs out of his eyes before cupping his cheek in her hand.

"You're thinking of John, aren't you?" A tear formed in Jim's eye as he gave the smallest of nods. Sarah reached forward and embraced her twenty year old son in a strong hug. "I'm sorry he can't be here, but you know he's a pirate. Showing up here to this public event even on peaceable terms might end in his being caught and arrested, especially with Captain Amelia here. And now that you've passed your schooling at the Interstellar Academy it would be your job to arrest him as well." She held him out in front of her, looking into his eyes. "But I can promise you that, were he here, he would be proud. You've done so much since you saw him four years ago. Look at who you've become! Captain Hawkins." When Jim remained quiet, she said, "Jim, if he cares about you like you know he does, I can guarantee that you haven't left his life. Someone like him has probably been keeping up with you. He might be celebrating for you right now, and here you are at your own party ignoring the festivities and hiding in this corner. C'mon," she smiled. "Dream tonight when everyone's gone. Right now you are going to dance with your mother."

"Alright," Jim laughed. And as fast as he had been sidetracked by thoughts of his old friend, he lost himself once again amongst the smiling faces and the music. He danced to his heart's content, stopping only to duck his head in shyness for the congratulations he received. He wasn't quite sure how to react to all the praise he was receiving. Ever since his father left when Jim was young it seemed that Jim could never do anything right. He was always gifted in mechanics, building his first solar surfer when he was eight. But up until four years ago he had been getting in trouble with the law, failing his classes at school and barely helping his mom as she single-handedly tried to run the inn. Sarah was constantly disappointed in him and he never had much of a father figure. But that all started to change four years ago. Four years ago an old salamander named Billy Bones crash landed on their private dock, dying within minutes. Four years ago Jim, Sarah and Dr. Doppler escaped the original Benbow Inn as it was being burned to the ground by pirates. Four years ago Jim discovered that the trinket Billy Bones left behind was a map to hope at a better future. Four short years ago Jim met Captain John Silver.

Four years ago Jim had discovered Treasure Planet.

He had seen with his own eyes the loot of a thousand worlds and felt with his hands the dried bones of Captain Flint himself. He pieced together Flint's secret: How Flint would swoop in upon his victims, taking their gold and jewels, then vanish without a trace. The key was the fist sized, spherical map that Billy Bones had left behind. By luck, Jim had managed to unlock the map that would surely be his chance to make things right once and for all in his life. A chance for him to fix everything he had screwed up in the past and prove himself to his mother and the rest of the world. He and Dr. Doppler had hired Captain Amelia and a crew to get them to Treasure Planet. On board he met John Silver, a cyborg who had eventually learned to look past his greed and realize how he loved Jim like a father would his son. Silver had actually been the pirate captain who burned the original Benbow. He had been chasing Billy Bones in search of the map that Jim had received. On the ship, Silver acted as a lowly cook, using his robotic right arm to prepare the most delicious foods for everyone on board. Jim had been put under Silver's charge as a cabin boy where Silver forced him to mop the entire deck, wash all the dishes, pop all the space barnacles off the hull of the ship; Silver ran him so ragged he barely had time to think or sleep. And yet, in the same way, Silver taught Jim the different kinds of knots to use when tying ropes, took him on joy rides in the longboats and even uplifted and encouraged him after the tragic death of Mr. Arrow. But what Jim hadn't known at the time was that the rest of the crew was in service to Silver, not Amelia. When Jim discovered Silver's plans for mutiny shortly before arriving at Treasure Planet, he escaped the ship with Captain Amelia and Dr. Doppler. Shortly afterwards, Silver found them and forced Jim to open the map and take him to Flint's trove. It was like nothing they'd ever seen. There was a huge triangular portal, opening and closing pathways to everywhere in the Etherium. It was how Flint had always made his escapes. And the very core of Treasure Planet itself was where Flint had stashed his loot and died. The entire core had been blanketed in dunes of gold and jewels. There, Jim had tried to escape with a boatful of Flint's treasure, but had been surprised along with everyone else by the booby trap Flint had created. Flint never wanted anyone to steal his gold, so he had rigged the entire planet to explode, should anyone try and take it. Save for the gold on the boat Jim was trying to rewire, all of the treasure was lost as the core of the planet quickly started to crack and—

"Helloooooo? Jim? Do you always ignore pretty girls when they're trying to get your attention?"

Jim blinked with a start. He had sat down to take a break from dancing and started reminiscing about his adventure. He was so enraptured that he hadn't heard Lany talking to him. Now all his attention was on her. She was a fine figure of a woman, about five inches shorter than Jim with a pretty face that was cropped by shoulder length blonde hair. Her blue eyes questioned him while her small, pink lips grinned mischievously. Usually Lany Randall was wearing a private's uniform. She was two years below Jim at the academy, halfway through the process of becoming a captain. But tonight she had donned a simple, emerald green dress that draped in an upside-down V around her neck and stopped just below her knees. Seeing her in this garb was such a contrast to the privates' uniform that Jim couldn't stop the rush of blood to his cheeks. She looked amazing!

"Sorry, I was thinking about something." He got up and gave her a long hug, burying his nose into her hair. "It's about time you made it. I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me."

Lany frowned into his teasing stare. "Please, like I could ever forget about you." Then she smiled and kissed him softly on the lips. "If I ever forgot about you I think it would break my heart more than yours. I'd feel dreadful!"

"Well, I'm glad to know you care."

Lany grinned and cuffed him lightly on the ear. "Of course I care you oaf!" After a moments pause, she added, "So what were you thinking about? It must have been pretty serious. I was trying to get your attention for almost a full minute."

"Well, I was thinking about Silver and Treasure Planet. I wish he was here."

Lany nodded. "Now, you said Silver saved your life didn't he?"

"Yes. He was going to take the gold and jewels I was trying to fly away with on that boat since the rest had all fallen into the cracked core of the planet. But an energy beam had knocked us off our balance and I fell over into one of the cracks. Silver was on the ledge, holding the boat with one hand to keep it from drifting away and reaching out to me with the other. But he couldn't reach. As my grip was slipping I saw him look at me and then his treasure." He paused. "And he let go of the boat and saved me. The last bit of Flint's trove got destroyed because he cared more about me."

Lany took his hand and said, "Well, if ever I met this John Silver I would have a very large 'thank you' to give him." Jim looked up at her again. As he reached forward to give her another hug, he glanced out the window. Something had moved. He kept staring until he saw a large silhouette step a little closer to the window, not quite into the light, but enough for Jim to look back at the girl in his arms and say, "Lany, you might just get that chance right now. I have to go outside, but I have to be discreet about it. If anyone else from the academy sees who I think is out there, we'll have to arrest him."

"I understand. Go see him. I don't think you'll stop being gloomy until you've seen his face." She kissed him again and moved to tap Sarah on the shoulder and dance with her.

Jim snuck out the backdoor when no one was paying attention. His heart was pounding as he looked around in the black night. Where did he go?

Suddenly, a pink, gelatinous blob with eyes flew at Jim. In a high voice, it said, "Captain Hawkins, Captain Hawkins! Reporting for duty!" and giggled.

"Morph, there you are!" Jim caressed the creature with his finger. "You've been gone all evening. Where have you been?"

"Well, you know how some creatures are. They smell somet'ing that resembles home and they go towards it. And Morphy here's got a pretty good sense o' smell." Jim spun around to face John Silver. He was wearing his usual garb, leaning on one side with his robotic and flesh arms crossed in front of him. There was a tear in the old cyborg's good eye as he smiled at Jim. "And look at ye. Rattlin' the stars like I always knew ye could." Without warning, the gruff looking bear of a man grabbed Jim and squeezed him so hard that Jim felt his back crack. "Jimbo, I'm so proud o' ye."

For the first time since Jim met him, Silver let himself cry a few tears. Jim was already crying openly, not knowing what to say. Silver was the only man who had ever treated him like a son. When they finally stepped back, Jim looked him in the eyes and gave a tearful smile. Silver was looking at him much the same way as when their adventure on Treasure Planet had come to a close. Morph broke the silence by crying himself into a puddle at their feet.

Silver decided to maintain his composure and turned to cough, drying his eyes. When he turned back they started walking through the trees that surround the inn, away from the party. Jim asked him, "So what have you been doing these past four years?"

"Well, to be truthful with ye, I used some of the gold I had managed to pocket, bought me-self a new ship and hired a respectable crew. We've been fighting the Procyons all throughout the Etherium."

Jim's eyes widened. "No way! I had heard that a stranger ship was helping us fight the Procs, but I never thought you were captaining her! All this time I've been hearing news about you and I never realized."

"Aye, twas me and my men. They're a pretty good lot. They earn their share and don't complain o'bout much, 'less it's necessary." They stopped at a fence bordering another side of the cliff and leaned on it together, letting the comforting silence patch up the past four years. "So," Silver started. "I noticed ye got yerself a pretty lass hanging over you." He gave Jim a sly smile, looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

Jim laughed and then sighed happily. "Her name is Lany Randall. I met her when she started two years ago at the academy. After a while we just started to hang out more and just sort of grew into a relationship. We've been together about a year and a half."

"Ah, so she be a private in the academy then?"

"Yep." Another silence fell between them and Silver started to pet Morph, cooing over his longtime partner. Jim bit his lip. He had been wanting to talk to someone about Lany, but he was too shy to bring her up to his mother and Dr. Doppler was constantly helping Amelia take care of their four children. He looked up at Silver and watched him for a few minutes. Feeling the stare, Silver stopped playing with Morph and looked back at Jim.

"Ye gonna be alright there, Jimbo?"

"Yes, I'll be fine." They both looked back out at the stars, each lost in his own thoughts. "Silver, can I—can I ask you something?" John turned to look at Jim, concerned.

"Of course, Jimbo. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. It's just—you're the closest thing I've ever had to a father and I've been wanting to talk to someone about something for a while, but I'm too shy to bring it up to my mother." When Silver stayed quiet, waiting, Jim continued. "Have you ever been in love?"

Silver turned his whole body to look at Jim. "That serious o'bout her, eh?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure yet. I have never been in a real relationship before. I think I love her. Actually, I know I do. But this is a whole new experience to me. I wanted to talk to someone who has been there before and can tell me what it's like."

"And you're too shy to ask yer mum o'bout this?"

"Well, I'm not sure what she'd say. As far as I know, the only love she ever had was my father. And, well, you already know how that turned out. I want to know what love is, real love. I don't want to do to someone what my father did to my mother. I especially don't want to do that to Lany."

Silver nodded his understanding. And then, after a few moments of quiet: "Aye. I been in love before."

Jim looked at Silver with a start. "You have?"

Silver smiled. "Pretty hard to believe, huh? But then again, ye know as much that I am a softie deep down." He tousled Jim's hair with his robotic arm. After a few laughs, Silver sighed. "Jim, did you ever wonder why it was so easy for me to get over my life long obsession getting the loot of a t'ousand worlds?"

"I have, but I've never gotten the chance to ask you about it."

"Aye. Twas easy for me because o' her. The only reason I was searchin' for the gold in the first place was because she was searchin' for it. I met her when I was your age, on a pirate ship. Actually, on a pirate ship from Flint's fleet."

"Wait, you used to work for Flint?" Jim asked incredulously.

"Bit o' a shocker, that. Yes, I did. Under Billy Bones' command. The same salamander that passed off the map to you when he crash landed here on Montressor.

"Ye see, Jimbo, she didn't really want the treasure. The gold and jewels meant nothing to her. She wanted Flint and she wanted him dead. Remember that Flint had killed a lot of people in his pursuit of gold, including a lot o' the family members of people in his own crew. When Flint came after her family, she was the only one who survived and she spent the rest of her life chasin' after Flint, studyin' the sword and t'ings so that when she got her chance she might rid the world o' him."

Jim studied the new look on Silver's face. He saw passion, sorrow, adventure. Most of all he saw love and longing. He wondered if he looked like that when he was thinking of Lany. Finally he spoke up: "I'm interested in hearing about this girl who seems to have captured your heart."

"Well, Jimbo, it'd be a long story. But it seems that people always have time for long stories, don't they? Alright, I'll tell ye about her. But to tell all of a story, you have to start at the beginnin', and the beginnin' o' this story doesn't start with her. It starts with my best friend from Billy Bones' ship. It was through him that I came to know her, so it is through him I shall begin with my story. His name was Ren."


	2. Ren

Chapter Two - Ren

John Silver breathed onto his hands. The morning was cold and crisp and his toes were freezing in his boots, but he didn't mind. The future was looking bright; bright with gold. When he heard footsteps coming from the captain's quarters he stood at attention with the rest of the men.

He hadn't met his new captain, but he'd heard a lot about him. Billy Bones was one of Flint's right hand men and possibly the only other living being that Flint trusted with a handful of his secrets. Bones was said to be rather straightforward, confrontational, and not extremely clever, but he was considered lucky. News from the rest of the crew was that Bones wasn't a good captain, but he was a talented escape artist, which was why he has been able to captain for so long. But still, any smart man could see that it would be wise to be hired onto any of Flint's fleet ships, if given the opportunity. With Flint becoming more and more renown and feared John realized that pirating was a career to look into. Rumor had it that Flint had taken the treasures of hundreds of worlds and still going strong. _What would it be like,_ he thought, _having all that gold? All those jewels? One could live a very luxurious life, indeed!_

"Stop that racket," Bones snarled at the silent crew. "Now, as long as you're on this ship you're under my jurisdiction and command. If I tell you to jump off the side of the boat into a black hole without your lifeline, you're going to do it. And I know you will, because disobedience to me means disobedience to Flint. None of you want that now do you?" He smiled greasily. Silver looked him over out of the corner of his eyes, sizing him up. The salamander looked to be in his late thirties or so, hunchbacked and greedy eyed. Silver was certain that even the smallest of this crew would be able to take Bones on in a sword fight, but no one was stupid enough to challenge Flint's underdog, if only because it may not please Flint.

Bones continued his speech: "So long as you ladies do your job and do it right, fast and without complaint, I don't care about you. That's a good thing. As for your individual duties, you will learn all of that from first mate Skretch." The large Panthan standing behind Bones growled quietly. Bones gave an ugly smile. "I wouldn't consider going against his wishes, either. The only thing I've left is that I need one of you for a rather special job." At this, most of the men, Silver included, stood a little straighter and tried looking a little bigger. Bones walked to one end and glared at a large human figure who had feathers instead of skin and a small beak. _Must be a Falcion,_ Silver thought. "Name!" Bones barked.

"Kerrick Swiftleg." Bones immediately moved to the man next to Kerrick.

"Name!"

"Barker McVice."

"Markus Genis."

"Corralus Horntail."

"Gornon Kahpk."

"John Silver."

"Aeris McMeg."

"Mav'c Slyth"

After a moment's silence: "Name!" But there was only more silence. Silver chanced a peak. Bones was glaring mercilessly at a small human boy, no older than sixteen. He was short, wearing a long sleeved, green shirt that was too big for him, tucked into a pair of black cloth pants. He was wearing knee-high dark leather boots which the pants were tucked into and there was a sheathed short sword at his hip. His looks were almost flawless. He had fair skin with none of the acne or moles that humans typically get and his nose was small. John saw a quiet eye that was an unusual shade of grey-blue; the other eye was covered with a red bandana, which was tied around his forehead on the outside of his dark brown hair. Only some of his long bangs came over the bandana; the rest of his hair was tied into a long braid that rested over one of his shoulders and was long enough that, if unraveled, would probably fall to his lower back. Silver silently took back what he thought a few moments ago: This boy, as small as he was, probably couldn't take Bones at all. As it was, Bones was growing angry.

"You dare to rebel against one of Flint's most trusted captains so quickly? I'll have you—"

"Captain Bones, if I may." Mr. Skretch stepped forward. "The young boy's name is Ren. He's a mute, sir."

Bones eyed Ren with renewed appraisal. The boy stared coolly back at him, his eyes never wavering once. After a few seconds of sizing the boy up, Bones said, "You don't look as though you could carry that sword, let alone haul heavy things on a ship. But that doesn't matter; you're small and you're silent: The perfect characteristics of a serving boy. You're hired." Bones smiled and proceeded to walk back towards the Captain's Cabin. Without needing to be told, the boy followed him.

_Well, glad I didn't get that job after all,_ thought Silver.

After Ren closed the door behind him, Mr. Skretch gathered their attention. "You were all hired because you have the basic smarts for crewing a ship. You will all have some small separate duties, aside from keeping the ship sailing, that involve cleaning and organizing, keeping things in good order. When I call out your name, I will tell you what that job is."

* * *

Silver stood on the deck by one of the railings a few days later, breathing in the fresh air of the Etherium. Aside from his typical sailor duties, he was to work with Bubby, the cook, helping to cook the food and clean the dishes. However, Bubby didn't have anything for him to do at the moment, so he had given Silver free time until after lunch. Ren had come into the cook room earlier, handing Bubby a piece of paper and leaving with warm fly tea and some foods Silver didn't recognize. When Ren had handed Bubby the note, which listed the things he needed for Bones, Bubby had looked at the note surprised and shot Ren a questioning look. When Ren simply shrugged, as if to say "That's what he wants", Bubby handed over the requested items and Ren left. Silver got the impression that the cook's curiosity didn't have anything to do with the request. After Ren had left, Bubby looked at the note again and eventually shook his head and threw the note away.

Now Silver was thinking about Ren. He was intriguing. Silver didn't know why he was so curious about the boy, but he was. Something about him didn't seem right. Not in a bad way, necessarily. Still, something was nagging at Silver. Whatever it was, Silver was sure he'd figure it out eventually.

The Etherium was beautiful, as always. The stars shone serenely in the distance and there was a sense of calm. Kerrick climbed down one of the nearby shrouds and stood next to John. "Silver," He said with a nod.

"Kerrick," Silver returned. "How are things looking up there?"

"Good. Everything is clear sailing." Kerrick was the main lookout for the crow's nest. He and Silver had become fairly good buddies in the first few days of being on the _Crossblade_. Kerrick seemed rather wise for his age and tended to listen more than he talked. Silver found talking to him was refreshing. He had always had a bit of a taste for the more intellectual and was glad to find someone else on board a pirate ship who shared the feeling.

"Kerrick! Silver! You two gonna join in er what?" They looked behind them at Aeris. The only difference between Aeris and a squirrel was that squirrels never grew six feet tall; they also didn't wear pants or carry a sword like he did. He twitched his fluffy tail and said "We're going to have a duel. Everyone's on free time and we thought we'd see what swordsmen are hiding amongst our group of cutthroats." He smiled knowingly. Everyone knew this was really just to prove ranking amongst each other; the top swordsmen of the crew would gain more than just a winning title, he would gain respect, or fear, as well. John and Kerrick grinned at each other, then walked over to join the rest of the crew on the main deck.

"Alright, here are the rules. Swords only, no hand fighting or wrestling. The first person to dislodge his opponent's sword from their hand or draw blood from him wins. Here's the first string: Barker and Corralus, Gornon and myself, Silver and Mav'c, Kerrick and Markus."

Barker and Corralus stepped forward and nodded to each other. They saluted and crossed their swords. "Begin!" said Aeris. Barker immediately swung his sword down across Corralus's front, but Corralus swiftly blocked and returned the favor. They stepped back and smiled at each other, realizing they were fairly evenly matched. Corralus stepped forward and started the fighting again. They jousted for about five minutes before Barker managed to lift Corralus's sword from his hand, winning the round. They shook hands and congratulated each other on a match well fought. This happened much in the same manner throughout the tournament, the first round winners being Barker, Aeris, Mav'c and Kerrick. Silver was the only one who had lost by getting cut: Mav'c was an aggressive fighter who didn't even bother to shake hands with him afterwards, though Silver at least was considerate enough to congratulate him. Between Barker and Mav'c, Mav'c won. Kerrick won a short match against Aeris when the squirrel tried to block a swing Kerrick didn't make. Kerrick had to quickly draw his sword back before almost removing Aeris's hand, but still managed to cut him and draw blood.

At the final round, Kerrick and Mav'c squared off. Throughout the duel, Mav'c gave violent and swift swings and jabs, Kerrick barely managing to block each one. Mav'c was moving so fast that Kerrick had no time to counter, only to defend himself. _Mav'c has been holding back_, thought Silver. Eventually Kerrick managed to take a swing, but Mav'c stepped in towards the thrust and sunk the tip of his sword into Kerrick's shoulder. As Kerrick dropped his sword to clutch at his wound, Mav'c simply sheathed his sword and said, "I guess I win." He stood there as Silver and Corralus stepped forward to help Kerrick, who winced at the pain. Mav'c had cut him a lot deeper than necessary for a friendly duel amongst the crew. Aeris nodded and said, "So it would seem. Congratula—"

"You," Mav'c said, interrupting Aeris as though he hadn't been talking. He was pointing at Ren who had been walking away from the duel. Apparently he had been watching from somewhere else on the ship. He turned and looked at Mav'c, giving a look that said, "Can I help you?" Mav'c gave a smug smile and said, "Come here. I want to see how well you can use that sword."

Silver stared at Mav'c with disbelief. What else did the snake want to prove? Ren was just a boy, after all, and much smaller than Mav'c. Mav'c just wanted an excuse to keep fighting and showing off. Silver spoke up: "Aye, leave the poor boy alone, Mav'c. Ye'v proved yerself already, ye don't need to be picking on the lad. Look how small he is to you in comparison!"

Mav'c looked Ren over with an almost greedy blaze in his eye. "Everyone else has shown themselves, why not this lad? Is he not, after all, one of us?" There was a murmur from the rest of the crew. "Why not let him face me? He deserves the chance to show himself, as the rest of us do."

"Look at 'im. You'll kill 'im! Ye were violent enough to Kerrick who was at least a match for ye."

Ren and Mav'c stared at each other, Mav'c menacing and Ren thoughtful. Finally Ren walked over to fight him. Without thinking, Silver left Kerrick with Corralus and walked up to Ren. He whispered to him, "Ye don't have to do this. He's violent and may really hurt you. He's just trying to be a showoff, don't get yerself killed." Ren simply looked up at him, searching his face. Silver looked at Ren's bandana and said, "Can ye even fight with that t'ing coverin' yer eye?" After a moment, Ren simply smiled reassuringly and winked at him. Then he turned away from Silver to face Mav'c. He pulled out his sword and stood there, in no sort of ready position, but ready none the less.

Mav'c smiled evilly. "Excellent."

"Begin!" Aeris called.

Neither one moved. Mav'c laughed and tossed his sword back and forth between his hands. "Don't worry, kid. I'll go easy on you. I wouldn't want to humiliate you _too_ much in front of the rest of the crew." When Ren didn't react, Mav'c frowned. Then, without warning, he cried out and slashed forward, lightning fast, aiming to cut across Ren's chest. As if against his will, Silver looked away. He heard the clang of steel and the surprised gasps of the rest of the crew and looked up to see Ren braced in a defensive hold as Mav'c tried to crush him with his weight. Just as Mav'c started to realize the boy was stronger than he looked, Ren ducked to the side and released the hold, dancing out of the way as Mav'c lost his balance and fell forward. He caught his balance quickly, but not fast enough; Ren had in the same motion stepped behind Mav'c and lightly cut him across the back of his shoulder. The whole duel had lasted less than a minute. Mav'c turned and stared at Ren in shocked disbelief. Ren bowed as was proper to an opponent who just lost and then turned to walk away.

Silver, like the rest of the crew, was staring at Ren. _That boy beat him in almost an instant with well toned skill, not just a swordsman's luck!_ _Where does this boy come from?_

Filled with rage and embarrassment, Mav'c strode after Ren, his sword held high. Everyone was still looking at Ren.

"Stop!" Silver yelled.

Ren turned around, sword still in hand, and blocked Mav'c in time. But Mav'c grabbed Ren's sword arm and hit it against the main mast causing Ren to drop his sword. Silver tried to grab Mav'c but got elbowed in the face and thrown back. While he was distracted, Ren took Mav'c's hand and pinched a wrist nerve. Mav'c yelped in pain and Ren quickly took Mav'c's sword out of his hand and threw it across the deck. Both without weapons, they proceeded to wrestle. The crew started cheering, some for Mav'c and some for Ren. Silver didn't cheer, only waited for an opportunity to detain Mav'c. Mav'c shoved Ren into the main mast and punched him in the stomach. Though the punch was hard enough to bruise, if not break ribs, Ren didn't make a sound. As Mav'c held Ren to the mast, Ren thrust upwards with the palm of his hand and hit home on Mav'c long nose. While Mav'c was distracted with his nose and his rage, Ren snaked his arms along Mav'c's and pulled him in, butting him on the forehead as hard as he could. As Mav'c staggered backwards Ren fell to his feet and shook his head to clear the dizziness. He waited as Mav'c charged him again. When Mav'c reached his arm back and brought his fist forward, Ren stepped into the punch, took a firm hold of Mav'c's arm, stuck out his hip and pulled. Mav'c went flying over Ren's hip and hit the ground on his back.

As the crew either cheered or booed Silver hurried forward and held Mav'c. When he struggled John told him, "Swordsman ye may be, but ye'll not be beating me at brute strength." Mav'c continued to struggle.

"_What the hell is going on here?!"_ Skretch stormed onto the deck, shoving whichever crew members were in his path out of the way. Silver quickly let go of Mav'c, who scrambled away, picking up his sword. He turned to face Silver, holding the sword in front of him as if waiting to defend himself. Skretch appraised the situation and walked over to Silver. Though they were about the same height, the glare in Skretch's eyes was enough to make Silver feel as though he was being towered over. "Any more brawling, Mr. Silver, will find you tied up in the brig. Flint does not tolerate trouble makers amongst his crews. Such imbeciles have in the past been tied by the wrists, attached to the stern and dragged along the bottom of the Etherium. They were the ones who caught Flint in a good mood." Skretch turned to face the crew. "Be warned: Flint has no patience for unruly children who don't know how to heed commands. He commands a disciplined fleet that knows how to pillage successfully and with skill. The key to pirating is not impulsiveness; it's fear. And people fear Flint because he is not only a pirate; he is an intelligent pirate who is not easily outmaneuvered. Only the elite survive to crew in this fleet. Am I understood?" He gazed challengingly at each crew member, his eyes remaining the longest on John. "I am keeping my eyes on you, in particular, Mr. Silver. Do not vex me again." With that, he returned to his cabin below deck.

Silver glared at Mav'c, anger racing through his veins. He was returned with a hateful grin. "Better watch your toes, Johnny. Sounds like one more false move will be the end of you." He sheathed his sword and slithered away to a different part of the ship, Gornon and Markus in tow, each shoving Silver as they walked past him.

"You better watch them, mate." Kerrick had come to stand by him, his arm in a makeshift bandage from the other sleeve of his shirt. "They're crafty, the exact kind of pirates that Flint wants, most likely. Smart enough to do dumb things and make others look at fault for them."

"Aye, well I hope Mav'c watches his back in the heat o' a plunder. If he isn't careful, he might find himself dead at the hands o' someone with a personal grudge." Kerrick gave a low laugh. A ray of light caught John's eye. He looked and saw Ren's sword still lying on the floor. Looking around he noticed that Ren wasn't present amongst any of the crew members remaining on the deck.

Assuming correctly what Silver was wondering, Kerrick said, "He ran off as soon as you grabbed Mav'c. I don't think he even realized he didn't have his sword on him." John walked over and picked up Ren's sword. It was a simple weapon: a black handle with silver guard and pommel. There were no jewels or words encrusted anywhere on the sword. Despite its simplicity, it was of excellent quality. The blade was thin and sharp, making it lightweight and easy to maneuver. Its fight against Mav'c's slightly thicker short sword had already proven its durability. "Which way did he go?" Silver asked.

"Below deck," said Kerrick.

John searched for a few minutes below deck, only avoiding the mess room where Mav'c and his gang were. Eventually, he followed the halls through the engine room and into the large area where the longboats where kept.

Ren was sitting in one of the boats, his back turned to Silver, checking his ribs. Silver shook his head. "Ye're crazy, Ren."

Ren quickly pulled the front of his shirt back down and turned to look at Silver, his one uncovered eye big with surprise. When he saw it was a friendlier crew member he relaxed and smiled weakly at Silver.

John hopped into the long boat and handed Ren his sword, which he sheathed. He stared at Ren and Ren stared back. He noticed that Ren did that a lot. Looked, studied and listened—not that he could talk, but Silver felt that even if Ren could talk he would still be this same kind of person. Silver scratched the back of his head. "Ye're one crazy little human, ye know that?"

Ren smiled, light dancing in his eyes. He shrugged his eyebrows as if to say, "Well, I have to do what I have to do."

"How did ye even learn to fight so well? How old are ye? Sixteen?"

Ren pointed up and then held up two fingers. Silver looked up above them where Ren had pointed, saw nothing of interest and looked back at him. Ren shook his head. He pointed at himself, held up ten of his fingers and then held eight of them up a second time. Silver finally understood.

"Eighteen? There ain't no way! Ye're so small. I don't think I've ever seen a human boy your age that's as tiny as ye." Ren smiled at his disbelief. "And you wrestled him as if he was not'ing! When did ye ever learn such t'ings?"

Ren blushed and fiddled with a coil of rope that was in the longboat. When Silver continued to stare at Ren as if expecting an answer, Ren sighed and pulled a pad of paper and a pen from a pouch on his belt. He scribbled for a few minutes, then ripped off the paper and gave it to John:

**I have a natural talent with the sword. It is the only way I have been able to survive as a pirate, small as I am.**

John nodded his agreement. "Tis definitely a gift ye have with the sword," he said. He did a double take, looking at the note more closely. His writing was practiced and even, with complete sentences, not typical of a born pirate. "Nice handwriting," he commented, shooting a curious look at Ren. Was this was had surprised Bubby? Ren scribbled on another piece of paper, handing it to Silver:

**I have been mute all my life. I had to learn how to write so I could communicate with others.**

Silver was only slightly convinced. Ren's handwriting was too neat and proper for him to have been born a pirate. He was hiding something. Whatever it was, John acted as though he was fooled. Nodding, he changed the subject. "So what has the ol' stiff got ye doing?"

**Slave work. Fetching him food and drink, whatever it is that he wants. I'm supposed to be near at all times for him to call upon me. The only reason I'm not there now is because I'm waiting for the cook to finish making his supper, which is probably done now.**

"Sounds like fun," Silver commented dryly, getting up. "Don't take this personal, but better ye than me." Ren shrugged as if to say, "It's not so bad." He stood as well, tucking the pen and paper back in the pouch at his hip. For a brief moment, the two of them looked at each other, each coming to their own conclusions about the other. Finally, Silver smiled and reached out his hand. "Well, if ye ever find that ye have more free time, maybe we can have a drink t'gether." Ren continued to look at Silver questioningly, then smiled and nodded. He took the offered hand and gave it a firm shake.


	3. Piracy

**UPDATE [3/5/09]: For those who have previously read this chapter, I edited the prank and removed the dress from it. Felt dirty using a scene that's been done before and is rather well known in a popular movie, so I modified it. **

Chapter Three - Piracy

"So I pinned him against a wall with me rapier. And after all that we had already gone through, the bloke still thought he could save himself; he tried to make a break for it, but I cut him across the back of his knee and down he goes. As he was a-layin' there I stripped him naked of all his fancy clothes and jewels. And then, after he'd been properly embarrassed, I stabbed him through the heart and burned the place. After robbing him blind, of course."

Markus kept his chest puffed up as he finished his story. The men had been going around telling some of their best pirate stories from when they first started. Though there were constant stories of piratical acts from childhood, most of the crew hadn't been pirating as long as they said. They were all still young, most in the early twenty to thirty age range. Not having had much experience, most of the stories were fairly mild and uninteresting; the ones that weren't, in Silver's opinion, were fictional.

"Markus, if ye tell one more story about how ye managed to muster enough manliness to kill yer own grandpap, I'm doing to do you as such." The crew laughed. In the past seven months on _Crossblade_ Silver had become a jokester. He knew that making people laugh was always a good way to be on their fancied side. It was a sure way to make alliances… and enemies. Markus glared at John, insulted and offended.

"Well, you got a story then? Let's hear it."

"Oh, aye, I've got a story for ye. While ye were busy doing in yer grandpap I was at yer mum's house raiding _it_. And that includes everyt'ing in yer room, from the locked chest to the baby's cradle ye still sleep in." Markus gritted his teeth and rolled up his sleeve, readying to start a fight. "Ah, relax will ye? Twas simply a jest I was making. Nay, I ain't daft enough to make up stories about my piracy—_Crossblade_ be the only ship I've ever sailed under such a title. So far, my stories consist only of the men I've killed in the heat of a plunder, whose faces and names I do not know nor remember."

"Yes," said Kerrick. "And even then we can see the fire in your eyes as your blade cuts through skin and muscle to meet bone. You enjoy this piracy thing. Maybe a little _too_ much!"

"Nay! Ye can never like riches and plundering too much." As the crew cheered their agreement, Silver saw Ren walk towards the bowsprit. Excusing himself, he followed and leaned with Ren on the railing where they looked out at the Etheruim. Silver took long breath through his large nostrils. "Can ye smell it boy? Another battle comin' soon. Bones said we should be there tomorrow. The glory of it all! I can't wait." With that, he unsheathed his sword, gave a small shout and tried to start a play fight with Ren. Usually Ren was game to friendly duels, but he stayed at the railing, glaring out at the Etherium. Silver lowered his sword. "What's this about, eh?" asked John.

Ren looked at him, eying over Silver and his sword, then looked back at the Etherium as if disgusted. Silver sheathed his sword and walked over, leaning next to Ren again. "Well, _ye're_ in a mood. How can ye not possibly be enjoying this life? The work is easy, the pay is enormous, not to mention working under Flint means that we're both respected and feared!"

Ren gave a snort, his version of a laugh. Then he pushed himself away from the railing and walked below deck. Silver stared after him and shook his head. He had met many interesting characters before, but Ren was unique. The two of them had become good friends over the past seven months. Silver had helped Ren a couple of times when Mav'c tried to dispose of him during a battle or storm. The two of them had earned each other's trust. At least, Silver assumed he had gained Ren's trust. John was the only one Ren ever showed most of his personality around.

_If I had to make a guess,_ Silver thought, _I'd say 'twas almost as if he was disgusted by pillaging and killing. By piracy! Why is he a pirate if he can't stand those t'ings?_ John sighed. This boy made no sense to him. Ren was like a puzzle, but every time Silver got a new piece to that puzzle, the picture changed and he had to remember what he was trying to put together in the first place. _No honest pirate would be put out by killing and plundering, especially one who supposedly was born into the trade._ Silver thought back to the past few battles that the _Crossblade_ crew had fought in. Silver couldn't remember seeing Ren while they were getting prepared in the mornings. He assumed it was because Ren was servicing Bones. While Silver reflected about the battles, he realized that he never saw Ren killing. He would board the victim ships and go straight to looting, letting the rest of the crew kill. _Tis sad,_ he thought. _Such a good swordsman! All that talent wasted. But why? He can't be skipping _all_ the battles; it's his job as a crew member to fight. _He looked back towards the door where Ren had descended to the bunks. _Maybe I'm just never around where he's fighting._

_

* * *

  
_

Ren tossed in the hammock. It was comfortable enough, but sleep still would not come. The truth was, Ren had a hard time getting along with the rest of the crew. While the crew was excited at the chances to become rich and quench their thirst for blood, Ren wanted nothing more than to save the people that Flint would heartlessly command to destroy.

_How could anyone find joy in this?_ Ren thought. _Taking people's lives and their money and their homes? I just don't see the glory of it!_ Ren socked some life into the pillow, hoping to make things more comfortable. _And honestly, who cares about all those jewels and things anyway? Why would someone want to live a life of luxury that is also devoid of meaning and heart? Why would someone want to be so cruel to people who have done nothing but live their lives?_ A small tear trickled its way down Ren's cheek.

_And even Silver enjoys all this._ Ren didn't know what made Silver so likeable. He was just like any other pirate, albeit more honest about his past life. But even John enjoyed the feel of life leaving a victim's body. It was enough to make Ren puke. _It's so disappointing_, Ren thought. _He has such potential to be a nice man and yet he's wasting himself on this piracy nonsense. _

Ren bit a lip. _Of course, I should be one to talk. After all, I'm here, aren't I? I'm sailing on this pirate ship under Billy Bones, the right hand man to the cursed Flint himself. I'm working for the one person I desire most to destroy._ Ren smirked, thinking about how, despite the plans people make for themselves they always wind up in the most ironic situations. Ren shifted positions in the hammock again and thought of the battle to come the next day. They had been tailing a merchant ship headed for the world of Trey. The ship promised good loot, as merchant ships often did. Ren shuddered, mind filled with visual images of the past battles: the dead and dying. The smell of dried blood filled Ren's nostrils, followed by a surge of memories. Ren fell into an uneasy sleep that promised nightmares.

* * *

At that same moment, John stretched and scratched an itch in his behind. The ship was quiet. He was on night watch and most of the crew was asleep, getting rest before tomorrow's plunder. If anyone had asked him, John would have said he was bored. Nothing interesting ever happened during night watch. As usual, he took this time to think and reflect, trying to figure out things that didn't make sense to him. What was on his mind at the moment was Mav'c. He and the snake rarely exchanged words, but when they did it was ugly. Silver didn't help things; he often took the chance to play pranks on Mav'c. The last one was rather hysterical:

While Mav'c was on a night watch, John had climbed up the mizzen mast in the darkness, an invisible voyeur. Kerrick had hidden in the bowsprit where even if someone looked over the railing they wouldn't be able to see him. When Mav'c had passed a certain spot in his rounds, everything went dark; Ren had been hiding in the shadows by the bow side lantern, wearing all black to hide himself. When he saw Mav'c pass him he turned off the lantern, swiftly and quietly retreating to the main deck where Mav'c couldn't see him. As soon as the light stop being cast on the figurehead, Kerrick counted to five, giving a few seconds for a creep to sink in. Then he gave an avarian shriek which sounded much like a desperate female scream. Silver had heard Mav'c quickly unsheathe his sword and slither over to the railing searching desperately for the source of that scream. Silver watched everything from the sails, amused. It wasn't very often that Mav'c was spooked. His green scales went pale. Mav'c had stood there, wide-eyed and shaking, jumping at every sound. If there was one thing you could always count on, it was a sailor's superstition. Holding in laughter, Silver had quietly descended the mast and gone down into the bunkers to lay in his hammock and sleep. A few minutes later, Kerrick had also returned; Silver wasn't sure how he had left without revealing himself to Mav'c, but apparently he had done it.

So far, Mav'c didn't know it was Silver, Kerrick and Ren who had spooked him. Or at least, he didn't give off if he did know. In any case, Silver and Mav'c continued to dislike each other, and Mav'c took any chance he got to harass Ren. He had loosened Ren's lifeline in the last storm, but Kerrick had seen and tightened it after Mav'c left. When Ren discovered what Kerrick had done for him, he had become a little more open around him. Ren had always seemed unsure about Kerrick; now the three of them were best friends.

John began to think about the battle to come. His hand itched to draw his sword and hack at something, anything. He was still concerned that Ren seemed so appalled by it all. After all, how can you be a pirate and be squeamish about killing? He continued walking his rounds on the bow of the ship. What kind of past could Ren be hiding? When he turned to do another lap around the captain's cabin, he heard a high, blood-curdling scream from the bow where he had just been. His first thought was that Kerrick was trying to play a joke on him, but then he reconsidered. That scream had been _much_ too real, and didn't sound at all like it had come from a creature that was part bird. It was also a lot louder than Kerrick's shriek had been. What took place next happened in a matter of seconds: Running to the bow side, he saw Ren, standing there, staring out at the Etherium with his arms lifted high above his head.

"Ren, what the hell _was_ that?" There was no response. Ren continued to stand there, hands lifted. A sound similar to that of crying was coming from him. John rushed over to look Ren in the face, realizing with a start that Ren was asleep. Ignoring his better judgment, Silver grabbed Ren by the shoulders and shook him awake. John almost didn't catch him when he collapsed. "Ren, wake up! Was that ye who screamed?" Ren looked around, wide eyed and confused, thrashing at being held. When he noticed it was John holding him and not someone from a nightmare, he stopped struggling and jumped to his feet. He didn't know what had just happened, but he could tell by the paleness in John's face that it had been bad. They heard the quick thuds of feet as the other sentries and those of the crew who had awakened were running to find out what had happened. Silver looked at Ren and saw that his one uncovered eye was pleading, asking for help. Silver thought quickly, and ran over to turn off the lantern.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Aeris had led the charge, the rest of the crew behind him, their clothes wrinkled from being slept in. Silver casually noticed Mav'c positioned in the back, as far from the bow as possible, sword unsheathed.

"I don't know, I didn't see it!" John said, acting shaken. He didn't have to act too hard. "I was making my rounds and Ren here couldn't sleep, so he came to get some fresh air. We were talking, minding our own, when the next t'ing we know, the lantern went out and that _scream_ happened." The crew listened intently, shifting nervously where they stood. Ren had started to shake. "But we couldn't see what it was. It didn't even sound like it was on the boat."

There was worried murmur amongst the crew. Mav'c had gone pale and wide-eyed. "Impossible," Aeris said, though he didn't seem to believe that at all.

"Nay, it be true." Mav'c voice sounded distant and small. "I heard it just the other night, on my last sentry duty. I've been worried about going on duty again ever since." Now the crew whispered urgently. Mav'c and Silver were known to be enemies, yet here was Mav'c not only agreeing with Silver, but admitting to being scared about something. It had to be true: _Crossblade_ was haunted.

"What is it?"

"What does it want?"

"It's come to avenge its death!"

"I never should have become a pirate. If only I'd listened to my ma…"

"We're cursed!"

"Oh, shut up!" That was Skretch. John wasn't sure how long he'd been there, but it was obviously long enough to understand what was going on. He re-lit the lantern and light flooded the area. "You're as bad as children. Get back to bed! And you two," he said to Silver and Aeris, "get back to work. NOW!" He glared at John who, it seemed, was always around where there was trouble. Then he ushered the rest of the now jumpy crew back to the bunks, going back to sleep himself. Aeris had shivered and walked back to the stern side of the boat, looking cautiously around corners.

Now it was only Ren and Silver. Silver glared down at Ren. "Ye have some explaining to do. Was that ye who screamed?" Ren looked at him confused. John remembered that Ren had been sleepwalking and relayed what had happened. Ren looked wide-eyed and frantic, thinking desperately to himself. Silver tried again: "Was that ye who screamed? If ye're playing a prank on me, it's not funny!"

Ren shook his head vigorously. It was no prank. "Then what in the bloody, God-damned hell _happened_?" Ren opened his mouth as if trying to say something, and no sound came out. Suddenly, he turned and ran. He was gone from Silver's sight before John had even registered what had happened. Silver sighed his frustration. _He probably went back to his hammock,_ he though. Silver stared out at the Etherium where Ren had been facing earlier. He replayed everything that had happened in his head, trying to make sense of it all. _Well, at least I'm not bored anymore_, he thought ironically, and resumed his sentry duty.

* * *

The next morning was a quiet one. Not many were talking and those who were talked in whispers. Everyone was jumpy. Even the prospect of the gold and jewels to come didn't lift anyone's spirits.

Silver hadn't seen Ren at all that day. When he asked Kerrick, the Falcion said that he didn't know where Ren was either. "I haven't seen him at all today. Why? Is something wrong? You seem concerned." Silver looked around. When he decided that there was no one within ear range, he proceeded to tell Kerrick what had really happened.

"But Ren is a mute!" Kerrick exclaimed. "It couldn't have been him. Besides, I heard it. It was definitely a female scream. Maybe we really _are_ haunted."

"I don't know why t'would be a woman though. Have ye been paying attention the last few raids?" He listed things, ticking them off with his fingers. "There have been no women present, and very few children. All the longboats were missing from each ship we've overrun. We always follow our prey, and every day that we catch up to them to plunder, they are always comin' straight for us instead of heading towards their destinations as they should be. And on top of all that, all the men and young boys on the ships all had _ready_ weapons." Silver shook an informing finger. "They've been informed," he told Kerrick. "Every single one o' them ships we've been chasing _knew_ we was comin', with enough time to prepare, save the women and most of the children, and fight us. And what's more: we haven't been properly rewarded for our plunders. Most of our targets haven't been as loaded as we assumed they were."

Kerrick frowned, thoughtful. "You're right. All of these things are true. And it makes no sense, then, that the ghost haunting us would be a female when there have been no females for us to kill."

They both jumped when Ren dropped from the nearby shrouds to land sitting on the railing next to them with a _thump! _He smiled brightly, patting John on the shoulder and nodding to Kerrick, both signs of salutations. Greeting him, John and Kerrick exchange a quick look, both coming to a silent agreement not to bring up the previous night.

"Where have ye been all morning?" Silver asked. Ren got out his pen and paper.

**I was dozing in a longboat below deck, catching up on the sleep I had lost last night.**

Silver frowned. He could have sworn he had checked the longboat room earlier when he was searching for Ren. He tucked that thought away to ponder later.

"ALL HANDS ON DECK!"

Kerrick sighed. "The feline is calling for us, children," he said drying. Then an evil smile grew on his face and he cracked his knuckles. "Show time!"

The crew lined up on the main deck, except for Gornon who was at the helm. Standing next to him were both Bones and Skretch. "We are at the last stretch, my darlings," Bones cooed sarcastically. "Prepare for battle!" The crew let out violent and evil shouts; apparently the spook from the previous night had evaporated. Half the crew got wooden boarding planks from a storage room, as well as grappling hooks and rope. They all watched, fidgety and restless as they gained on the merchant ship they had been pursuing. Silver frowned; they were gaining on the ship too quickly, almost as if—

Bones cursed and spoke to Skretch. Skretch curled his hands into fists. "HANDS TO THE CANNONS!" he growled. Half the crew, the ones trained to do so, ran below deck to start preparing the cannons. Silver went to his cannon station and picked up a nearby charge and wad, ramming them into the cannon in that order. When he removed the ram, Ren was there with the ball and another wad. Silver took them and rammed the ball and wad into the barrel. He finished in time to hear Markus at the cannon next to them exclaim, "How the in the bloody blazes do they always know we are coming?!" _I guess the rest of the crew has noticed the peculiarities of our plunders as well,_ Silver thought. He glanced at Ren just in time to see his reaction to what Markus had said. Was that a smirk on his face? John didn't have time to ponder it.

"Here they come, men!" Skretch had come below deck to lead the firing. He watched through one of the windows as the merchant ship drew near, quickly coming within range. "Ready!" The ship was almost parallel to theirs. "_Aim!_" Silver could see the grim and ready faces of the men and boys on board. Ren stepped away from the cannon and covered his ears.

"FIRE!"

They lit the cannons, making sure to stay out of the way as the force of the explosions shoved the cannons backwards. As Ren got the next charge and wad ready, Silver got the ram, put a sponge on it and cleaned the barrel of any left over powder. He loaded the cannon.

"FIRE!"

This went on for several minutes. At one point, just after firing another set of cannonballs, there was a distinct crack of broken wood. They prepared the cannons again. "Hold you fire!" Skretch yelled. He listened through a pipe for instructions from Bones. After he listened for a few moments, he said, "Yes, sir. Back up to the deck, ladies! We broke her mainmast. She can't run. We're going to ride alongside her and board."

They scrambled up the steps to rejoin the rest of the crew, who were placing the boards over the railings to the other ship. Bones was shouting orders. "Secure those boards! Get over on that ship and take anything of value. Don't kill them all!"

The men unsheathed their weapons and clamored aboard the merchant ship called _Deihun_. The men on the ship tried desperately to fend them off, but their luck was sour. Within a matter of minutes, a good portion of their crew was dead and the ones who were still alive had surrendered. Silver saw Ren tying the hands and feet of the hostages nearest him. As the pirates tied or held the prisoners, Bones searched the ship, something he himself had never done before. It took him about twenty minutes to search the entire ship. Returning to the main deck, he faced the hostages. "Is the captain of this miserable vessel still among the living?"

"No." One of the prisoners spoke up, a male with blonde hair and fair skin. He looked to be in his late twenties. "I am his eldest son, so whatever garbage you have to say may be directed at me."

Bones glared at the man. "You're in no position to be pert with me," he warned. He walked over to the tied up figure who was kneeling on the deck. Bones squatted until he was eye level with him, smiling in a falsely friendly way. "Now, answer me this question. Why is it that a merchant ship on its way to the trade city of Trey is almost completely empty of any real stock of valuables? And why, if I may ask, is this ship also missing women and children, along with longboats?" The man never answered. He only glared at Bones, jaw set in a tight line. "And how," Bones' anger was starting to show more and more with each word, "in the name of Flint did you know we were chasing you?" When he still refused to answer, Bones back handed him across the face. "Answer me!" he snarled.

The man proceeded to laugh crazily, as though he'd broken and lost his mind. He got back onto his knees, shook his head sympathetically and said to Bones, "As long as you have silence amongst your crew, your plunders shall be _cursed_!"

Realizing he wasn't getting anywhere with this man, Bones unsheathed his sword and jabbed it into the man's heart. The man continued to laugh until the breath was finally gone from his body.

"Well, since I'm not getting the answers I want…" he paused, looking around at the hostages, men and boys alike. "…kill them." The pirates yelled and proceeded to slaughter the prisoners nearest them. Silver cackled as he slowly slit the throat of the man he had been detaining. Then he turned to look at the little boy next to him. The boy was no older than nine. Silver held him up by the ropes that bound him. The boy struggled. "Him!" he said to John, trying to turn his head to point at someone. "It was him! He told us you's was coming and the women left on the long boats and they took a lot of the stuff with them and we stayed to fight so's you wouldn't suspect anything and—"

"Whoa! Slow down," Silver said, looking at the boy. "Who, now?" The boy wriggled one hand free and pointed. Silver followed the finger and stiffened.

He was pointing at Ren.

"Surely ye're mistaken," Silver whispered to the boy. "If ye're lying to me, I swear I'll—"

"No lies! He was the one!"

John looked at Ren again; Ren was watching him. He had heard the little boy's accusation. Silver watched Ren, but couldn't read his face. Swiftly, Ren walked over to them. Silver held the boy and look Ren straight in the eyes. Ren looked back, questioning. When John continued to look at Ren as if trying to decide if he was a traitor or not, Ren got out a piece of paper and his pen. Swiftly he wrote:

**Do you believe him over me? People in desperate situations like these will do or say anything to save themselves.**

Silver held Ren's gaze, who's eye never wavered, but looked back at him evenly. John sighed his relief; for a moment, he _had_ almost believed the boy. _How silly would that be? To listen to a young lad who I have threatened to kill instead of one of my best friends!_

Ren knelt to the boy's eye level, his sword unsheathed. As Ren hefted the boy to his feet, Silver looked around. The rest of the crew had already killed the remaining hostages. Some were helping to take the few valuables; the rest were watching the scene with curiosity, though they didn't seem to have heard what the young boy accused. Silver returned his own gaze to Ren and the boy.

With the boy on his feet, Ren looked him in the eye. The boy watched Ren, his innocent eyes large with fear and confusion. Ren smiled wickedly. In a flash, he whipped his sword, and the nine year old boy's scream was cut off. The boy's body dropped, and when it did, the head rolled away from it.

* * *

The next hour or so was spent raiding the ship. When they got everything of value, the crew took some torches and started fires on the merchant ship, burning it and the dead with it. After they had set sail again, Silver searched for Ren. He thought over what he was going to say in his head: _Ren, look. I'm sorry for how I acted earlier, yelling at you for seeming upset at piracy. Obviously, you're a pirate, these things don't bother you. Ye proved that enough an hour ago. Something else must have been bothering you that I didn't know about and I acted rude. I'm sorry._ John had honestly thought for a while that Ren was disgusted by killing and piracy. After seeing Ren behead a nine year old, and after almost choosing to believe the word of a young stranger over his friend, John knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself until he apologized.

He found Ren in the longboat room, as usual. He started to apologize, then noticed that Ren was bent forward, his face thrust into an opening in the loading door below one of the longboats where he was retching into the vast space. Silver walked over and placed a comforting hand on Ren's shoulder. After Ren released a good flow of bile into the Etherium, Silver eased him back and sat him down. Ren wiped his mouth off on the back of his sleeve. His uncovered eye was red and puffy and his cheek looked wet.

"Are ye all right, Ren?" For a second, he thought Ren wasn't going to answer. Ren looked Silver in the eyes, searching. Then, slowly, he shook his head. John looked at the drying puke on Ren's sleeve. Disbelief filled him. "What's all this about? Are you throwing up because you killed that boy?" Ren averted his gaze, confirming Silver's question. Silver gaped at him. He had been right about Ren after all! "All this grief over _one life_ that you took? By t'under, how do you ever expect to be a man if you can't _kill_ without having an emotional breakdown?" he demanded hotly.

Ren looked Silver straight in the eyes, angry. _Really_ angry. Silver could tell Ren was fighting to keep himself under control. Finally, Ren closed his eyes, breathed in deep and let it out slow.

"Killing doesn't make men," he said quietly, opening his eyes to glare at Silver once more. "It makes _monsters._"


	4. Flint

Chapter 4 - Flint

Silver blinked, momentarily forgetting that he was angry. "W-wait. What?"

"Killing makes monsters," Ren said again.

John started to say several things, but nothing that came out made any sense. Ren sighed and checked his clothes. He had managed to keep them fairly clean save for the back of his sleeves which he had used to wipe the vomit from his face.

"Ye can talk!" Silver finally exclaimed.

"Shut up," Ren whispered. "Do you want to reveal it to the entire ship?"

"If it will cease this ache in me head, perhaps," Silver whispered back.

"If the entire ship found out I could talk, especially Bones, I doubt it would _ease_ your headache," Ren pointed out.

"Aye, ye be right there," he said, relaxing. He jumped up again. "Why didn't ye ever say anything to me?"

"I'm on a pirate ship. You can't trust certain things to pirates; they don't care about you, only about themselves."

"So ye're saying that I don't care about ye, then? That I only think of meself?"

Ren winced. "No, that's not what I'm saying, Silver. My point is that when I got on this ship it was with the knowledge that I couldn't trust _anyone_ because if that person let slip even that I could talk it would ruin everything that I've worked for."

"Then why speak to me at all if ye can't trust me?"

"Because I do trust you."

"Why?"

"Because you're not a pirate."

Silver stared at the boy. "I'm interested in knowin' how ye came by that logic."

Ren thought quietly for a moment, choosing his words. Finally he asked, "Silver, do you remember the first time you spoke to me?"

John raised an eyebrow. "Of course."

"What happened? What did you say to me?"

He scratched his head. "Well, I don't remember what I said exactly, but I was trying to stop ye from fightin' Mav'c. Ye're so much smaller than him I figured he'd kill ye."

"And that's why I don't consider you a pirate. Silver, you _care_. You showed me that from the very beginning. Mav'c and others like him, they care only for themselves and what will make them prosper. You act like them and live like them, but deep down, you aren't truly one of them."

Silver stayed quiet for several thoughtful minutes. Eventually, he asked, "What else are you hidin' about yerself?"

Ren smiled wryly. "You wouldn't believe me even if I _did_ tell you, which I'm not." He looked up at John's disappointed face. "I'm sorry," Ren said quietly. "But, Silver, you have to understand. I have worked endlessly and taken so many precautions to make sure that I got to where I am now. This is something I have been working for my entire life. If I were to lose it all, if my plans were to fall through, I would have no more reason to live. I _couldn't_ live with myself." He reached up and placed one of his small hands on John's massive shoulder. "Silver, I have to live a secretive life right now. One day, if this all works out, you _will_ know my secrets. You are my friend. But right now, the stakes are too high. If you knew everything about me and I got caught, you could be in serious danger and I would be killed. I started off on this journey on my own; now I have a friend and I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect him."

After a silent moment, John nodded. Then he looked Ren in the eyes. "Do I even know ye at all?" he asked.

Ren thought. "Yes and no. You know _who_ I am you just don't know _what_ I am. I know that doesn't make much sense, but I can't think of any other way to explain."

Silver thought back to the previous night and that mysterious scream. "So it _was_ you who screamed last night?"

Ren removed his hand from John's shoulder. "About that-"

"ALL HANDS ON DECK!"

They jumped.

"Damn, that Panthan can be _loud_," Ren whispered. They looked at each other. The conversation would have to wait. Silver turned to go towards the deck; Ren grabbed him by the shoulders forcing John to face him. "John, promise me you won't tell any one. You know now that my life hangs in the balance on even this secret alone. Please, you can't even tell Kerrick." Silver stared at him, searching.

"I won't tell anyone," he said. "Flint curse it, I don't know why, but what ever it is that ye're set to do I want to help ye. Even if the only way I can is by keepin' yer secrets."

Ren slowly let out the breath he had been holding. "Thank you, my friend."

John smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't ye be t'inking this conversation is over, now." They ran up to the deck.

When they got to the deck Skretch called for them to line up. Ren started to join the attention line with the rest of the crew but Skretch pulled him aside. All Silver heard as they walked away was, "Right now you are acting servant, not crew. This is how you will always be when we have special guests. Go down to the kitchen and make sure…"

_Special guests?_ Silver thought. _Why would a pirate ship host special guests?_ He looked out into the Etherium and saw nothing. There were no other boats anywhere. They all stood at attention for a good half hour. During this time very few interesting things happened. Ren hustled back and forth between the captain's cabin and the kitchen carrying food and drinks. At one point Bones had emerged from the cabin to whisper something to Skretch. Then he paced nervously for a while behind the helm, stopping only when he noticed the stares of the crew. After that he stayed in one spot and looked out into the Etherium, waiting and trying to maintain his composure.

Silver thought about what had taken place just a moment ago. _So the boy can talk! And he's been educated. That's obvious from the way he speaks. I wonder where this kid is really from?_ John sighed inwardly. _I don't like this. He's up to something, though I don't know what. Can I really trust him after he's lied to me for seven months?_ He reflected on the past months since he first met Ren. The boy was certainly diligent in his work, watched Silver's back during raids; they even confided in each other about Mav'c when one or the other was frustrated with him. They were friends. They were _good_ friends. _No,_ he thought. _I can trust him. So he's got a few secrets. Who doesn't? And these secrets he has are important to him and his survival. I won't betray him that._ John nodded, decided.

Suddenly, the air began to change. The crew looked about nervously; Bones stood straight, a big feat for a salamander with a hunched back. Skretch and Ren hurried onto the deck from the cabin to stand at attention next to Bones.

A glimmer caught Silver's eye. As he looked into the Etherium trying to find the source of that glimmer, it happened. The crew gasped aloud. A large triangular space had appeared. The space was massive, big enough to fit an entire fleet through. In that space there was what by all accounts appeared to be land. It was green, with strange mushroom like trees and bamboo. There was a grand cliff and, headed in their direction was a pirate ship. It sailed through the space, from that other land into the Etherium and flew towards the _Crossblade_. As soon as that ship had passed through the triangle, the space closed and the land was gone.

The crew started to panic. Someone said, "What in the bloody hell-"

"Shut up!" Snarled the captain. "You bleeding lot of flea bitten curs will stay silent and at attention for Flint!" There was a brief silence. It was quickly followed by more murmured whispers:

"Flint? On _our_ ship?"

"Son of a damnit, I knew I should'a polished me sword."

"Do you think he's recruiting?"

"No way. This has to be about the past few raids and the lack of women, children and booty."

Silver agreed with the last commenter. From what he had heard of Flint, the pirate usually stayed on his captaining ship unless there was a need for him elsewhere, and it was very rare that he would actually come. The need had to be pressing. _A major decrease in treasure income seems like something that would be pressing to a pirate,_ Silver thought.

"I said," Bones growled, "SHUT UP!"

They shut up.

In a matter of minutes Flint's ship drew next to _Crossblade_ and a boarding ramp was thrown over. Flint stepped onto the board and crossed over. He was tall, with long brown hair under a tricorn. He had six eyes in two columns ascending his forehead and long sharp teeth. Claws protruded from each of the three fingers he had on both his hands. He was dressed royally in blue and walked deliberately. Attached at his belt hung a sword and a tightly drawn leather pouch. Behind him were two of his crew members, neither of whom had any markings to indicate a first mate ranking. They stayed roughly five feet behind Flint and didn't make eye contact with anyone.

Bones walked over to greet Flint. Skretch followed, tugging Ren's sleeve to indicate that he was to do the same. A split second look in Ren's eye seemed to show that going to see Flint was the last thing he wanted. However, the look was gone before Skretch could notice and he followed.

"Captain," Bones said, bowing. Flint towered over Bones. His only response was a small nod. "We shall meet in my cabin," Bones said. He indicated Ren: "Shall my servant get you any victuals?"

"A glass of wine will be all," Flint replied. He hadn't even bothered to look at Ren, who bowed and descended to the kitchen. Bones and Flint walked to the cabin where Flint's two crew members stopped at the door and stood at attention on either side of the frame, facing the deck.

"Back to work," called Skretch and he, too, went into the cabin room, closing the door behind him. The men immediately proceeded to whisper to each other. Silver found Kerrick and they stood together, each deep in their own thoughts. Ren emerged from the kitchen with cups, wine and a plate of snacks that John couldn't name. When he got to the cabin, one of the guards took note of Ren's full hands and opened the door for him, closing it after Ren had passed through.

"So what do ye t'ink is goin' to happen?" Silver asked Kerrick.

"I think Aeris had the right idea. We haven't been pulling a usual income and that means Flint's treasure heap is taking a hit. He can't be too happy about that." Silver nodded his agreement. Kerrick continued: "From the mannerisms both Flint and Bones were giving, I'd say that Bones is in trouble. You saw how he was pacing. I'll even bet-"

"Silver? Damned that cursed Ursid. SILVER!"

"Aye, Bubby, I'm right here, what do ye want?"

The potbellied cook stuck his octopus head through the kitchen door. He glared at Silver. "Why in the bloody blazes are you sitting around out here for? There's work to be done. Flint's aboard, after all!"

"Sir, he said he only wanted wine. He wasn't hungry."

Bubby blinked. "Flint curse it, you're daft. Get down here; you got a _lot_ to learn about protocol." Silver nodded to Kerrick and descended into the kitchen. "Protocol?" he asked. "Why would pirates follow any sort o' protocol? Isn't that a bit oxymoronic?

"Silver, we's a band of pirates, not lone, cod-sucking bootleggers. Of course we has protocol. We have a captain don't we? And a first mate and crew. We's a part of a large fleet that is still growing. If there was no protocol there would be chaos everywhere. Flint be a disciplined person. Think on it. Would you be more afeared of a chaotic bunch that's every which way, doing as they please or a group of blood-thirsty pirates who follow well thought out instructions and know what they's doin'?"

Silver considered. "I see ye're point."

Bubby nodded. "And so, we's got protocol. And in formal cases such as d'ese, even if Flint asks only for the drink, we brings him food. He won't command fer food with the audience 'lest he been seen as a weak pig. Savvy?"

"Aye."

"Good. Now get down the tub; You's making that Bonzabeast stew that's got the crew a'ravin'."

* * *

Ren placed the bowl of steaming hot stew on the table. Flint picked up his spoon and began to eat. After a few spoonfuls, he looked up at Ren. "What do you call this?" Ren jumped from surprise. Flint saw the boy open his mouth, then close it, looking his one visible eye at Bones.

"It's called Bonzabeast stew, Captain," Bones said. Flint's eyes never left Ren, who, unbeknown to them, was starting to sweat from the stare. "He's a mute, sir," Bones finally said. Flint looked for a few moments longer then returned his attention to his soup.

Ren gave an inward sigh. _He can't see through me,_ Ren thought. _Stop acting like he's going to discover you any second now. He's none the wiser. Besides, he probably wouldn't even recognize me. How many worlds has he looted now? Hundreds? It's not like he would remember mine specifically _and_ associate me with it. _Ren breathed slowly and evenly. _I've grown a lot since then. I'm not ten years old anymore._

"William, you have some explanations for me?" Flint said. It was more of a statement or command than a question. _William?_ Ren thought humorously. _Oh, _that's_ juicy._ William Bones shifted nervously. "Sir, I'm handling things as-"

"Handling things?" Flint interrupted, his eyes dark. "Your last few reports have indicated that your normal income has been more than halved. Each ship you've attacked has been ready for combat and dumped of its women, children and most of its merchandise."

"But, sir-"

"Don't interrupt me, William." Bones silenced himself. "I've given you a lot of grace when it comes to your captaining, more than you deserve. However, you are beginning to vex me." He was terrifyingly calm. "Remember that you are not indispensable, captain. As it is, I am giving you a chance, _one_ chance, to correct things. You have half a year to regain the treasure you lost and prove that you can still captain a ship of my fleet. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir," William mumbled. Flint stood as did Bones and Skretch. "Ren, please escort Captain Flint to his ship."

"That won't be necessary," Flint said. "My ship is well set for everything needed for six months. I shall reside here during your probation."

_Stay here?_ Thought Ren. _For six months?_ Pushing down a panic, Ren gave slow steady breaths. _I'll be fine. He'll never suspect anything. I may be able to use this to my advantage. Maybe this is what I need to avenge my family and finally rid the universe of him once and for all!_

Ren came back from deep thought to hear: "Good. It is settled then. Boy, tell my guards to retrieve my packs."

* * *

Ren bowed and exited the room.

There had been a door on the deck next to the captain's cabin that was always locked. The crew learned that the room was an extra cabin that Flint demanded all the ships of his fleet have, should he ever be required to stay aboard. Inside was a bed, table laden with snacks and drink, and a personal head.

The crew was constantly on good behavior. At least, good for pirates. Silver was finishing up with the dishes, thinking as he usually was. When the meeting had ended, Ren had come into the kitchen to gather food for Flint's room. When he passed Silver on his way out, he slipped a note into John's palm with a wide grin. The note read:

**William Bones**

Silver had laughed aloud for a full five minutes, then another ten when he showed the note to Kerrick. Now he sighed tiredly. He had been up almost all day, cleaning and preparing food for Flint. He wanted to go to bed, but there was supposed to be a crew meeting tonight. Finally, he put away the last of the plates and silverware and ascended the stairs to the main deck.

There, he found Ren leaning against the railing next to some shrouds. He walked over and leaned next to him. Neither said anything for a long time. Then Silver gave a short quiet laugh. When Ren peered at him quizzically, Silver said, "William." Ren grinned. He looked around them. When he was satisfied that no one was around to hear, the boy whispered softly, "You know we're going to have to find a way to make that knowledge known to the crew."

"Aye," Silver responded, just as quiet. "That would be quite the entertainment. Any ideas?"

"None so far. It will be tricky, because we have to do it in a way where he won't suspect me of being the informant. I don't want to think of what he might do to me should he find out _I_ was the one who shared his real name. He was rather embarrassed that Flint used it in front of me."

"I can see ye're predicament." Silver thought. "Maybe Lady Scream could give us a hand in the matter," he said, a wicked gleam in his eye. Lady Scream was the christening given by the crew to the mysterious female ghost who haunted _Crossblade_.

Ren gave a barely audible laugh. "You have my attention."

Quiet footsteps gave away Kerrick's approach. Silver smiled at him. "So, Swiftleg. Ren and I have decided on our next bit o' entertainment." He proceeded to tell Kerrick the unformed plan of using Lady Scream to help reveal Bones' real name to the crew.

"I'll think on it," Kerrick said through a smile. He had been the one who planned the original prank.

They spent a few minutes exchanging mischievous thoughts before Flint and Bones emerged from the cabin. "All hands to deck!" Bones called. When all the men were present, Flint spoke:

"Your captain has spoken well of your work from the past few months, despite your hardships. We are now going to test your skills in _real_ piracy. What you have done so far, raiding and destroying merchant and cruise ships and the like, has all been to prepare you for world-raiding. In a month's time my entire fleet shall be meeting just southwest of the small planet of Saxlueo. There, we shall devise a strategy and over take her." He paused, letting this knowledge sink in. The crew was silent. "We begin our journey there now." With that, he abruptly turned around and went into his rooms, locking the door.

"A world!" Silver and Kerrick chorused.

"We'll be rolling in the riches soon enough!" Silver exclaimed gleefully.

"Aye! And glory," was Kerrick's response. Ren only smiled, though Silver could tell it was forced. He made a mental note to talk to Ren about it when he had the next chance.

* * *

The month came and went. The crew could barely hold their excitement. Finally, Kerrick spotted the rest of the fleet from the crow's nest. Everyone ran to the railing to look at the sight before them.

There had to have been at least a hundred ships. There were all different kinds: cutters and warships mostly. Chances were most of these had been stolen from previous owners. They were all stopped southwest of Saxlueo, most of the ships close enough to each other that the crews could yell across and talk to others on the ships nearest them.

Silver attached a black fabric to the flag pole. As he raised it, it unfolded revealing its design: An alien skull with two large fangs and three eyes. Behind it were two crossed rings, atomic in nature. There were shouts from the other boats; Flint had arrived.

After they settled everything on the boat, Flint and Bones boarded a long boat and sailed to one of the larger warships. Other captains could be seen sailing to the same warship on their own boats. Apparently there was a spot big enough on the warship to host all the fleet's captains for a meeting. The _Crossblade_ crew was left in Skretch's charge.

Silver looked around and finally found Ren sitting on the highest crosstree in the foremast. He took hold of the nearest shrouds and climbed up to join him. On the way up, he sighed mentally. Ren had been extremely quiet ever since Flint came aboard. He chose to be in solitude a lot and it seemed that every time someone tried to talk to him that they were interrupting him from deep thought. Silver had tried several times to see what was wrong. He was getting worried about the boy. He had said very little over the past month, both verbally and by note. But his past attempts to wheedle an explanation out of him were useless. Silver had decided several days ago to give up trying; it was obvious that Ren wasn't going to say anything. When he reached the crosstree, he climbed over to Ren and quietly sat next to him. Together, they watched all the captains board the deadly looking warship. The silence lasted for several minutes. Then:

"It was eight years ago that I became an orphan." Ren spoke quietly, but it was enough for Silver to hear him clearly. "I had been playing by a river near my house when the pirates hit. I smelled the smoke and burning meat. I had assumed ma was cooking dinner and I ran home. When I got there..." He paused. Silver said nothing, only waited for him to continue. "…when I got there, my family was dead, thrown in a pile outside of my home. The windows and doors of my home had been smashed in, which was lucky for me: I was able to hear the pirates step on the broken glass as they were leaving. I managed to have enough time to lie next to the bodies of my dead family and pretend to be dead. While lying there, I strained to listen to them, hear what they were saying. Eventually, my ears locked on a particular voice near me that was giving orders. I opened one of my eyes out of curiosity and saw him: A tall alien with six eyes and long fangs. He barked orders as the crew left in lines carrying anything of value that my parents had. Even da's reading books and the ugly vase. The smoke was coming from all the torches they had brought. Later I learned that the meat was our cows which the pirates culled, cooked and ate." Silver wasn't sure, but he thought he saw light reflecting off of a wetness on Ren's cheek. Was he crying? "I stayed there nestled next to my sister's body for almost two days. I watched as the pirates completely raided my house and set it to fire. I held in my tears and screams as they told campfire stories of their glory: How they tortured and killed my father and brothers. How a handful took turns raping my mother and two elder sisters and strangled my younger sister to lifelessness. Aerani was only four. _Four_. How could there be someone so heartless to kill a four year old? Yet he had it ordered without second thought! Two days I had to endure this before they left. I couldn't move, lest they notice me and kill me, too.

"I was eventually picked up by a search crew who was scouting around trying to find survivors. I learned that day that Flint hadn't just destroyed my home: he wiped clean the entire planet. The few survivors found loaded onto any available boat that was intact and sought shelter at one of the nearby planets. I cried for months."

Silver had been staring intently at Ren throughout his story. He wanted to say something, but found no words. He had never before thought of the lives and families he'd be ruining by being a pirate. It didn't change his views much; he still enjoyed the pirate life. But he had forgotten that every time his blade cut through flesh to meet bone, he ended a life. He shivered and put the matter behind him. "I wish I knew what to say," he said, choosing his words carefully. "But what is there to say? Everyt'ing I t'ink of sounds so terribly cliché and uncaring."

Ren gave a weak smile. "You don't have to say anything, John." He reached up and pulled the bandana off of his face and used it to wipe his teary eyes. This was the first time Silver had ever seen Ren without the bandana on. Granted, he could barely see him due to the scarcity of light where they were, but that wasn't what mattered. Tonight had shown that Ren truly did trust him and regard him as a friend, both by telling the story of his childhood and removing the bandana that covered half of his face. It was as if removing the red handkerchief was a symbol of Ren uncovering his secrets for Silver to see. He gently reached over and clasped Ren on the shoulder, giving a comforting squeeze. Ren turned to look him in the face and gave a half smile. "It's funny," he said. "I've been spending so much time listening to others and living on my own, I'd forgotten how nice it is to have someone listen to _me_. I'd forgotten the experience of friendship." He wiped the last bit of tears from his eyes and turned to look at Silver again. "Thank you, Silver."

"Any time at all, my friend." He blinked. For a second, he had seen a very odd look in Ren's face, one he couldn't name. It was especially hard to tell in the bad lighting. But before he could try to get a good look, Ren had turned away and replaced the handkerchief on his forehead, under his bangs. There, the two of them sat in a comfortable silence until noise came from the warship and the captains prepared to return to their ships. They stayed aloft until Bones and Flint returned. Then, they had to descend for a meeting. When they got down, they sought out Kerrick to stand by him. "Kerrick," Silver nodded.

"John," he replied curtly. Silver cocked his head to the side and looked at the man-bird. Had Kerrick ever called him by his first name before?

"Swiftleg, are ye alright?"

"Fine," was the answer. Silver started to say something but was interrupted by Skretch telling the men to line up. He looked at Ren, who shrugged his ignorance to whatever Kerrick's problem was. When they got into the attention line, Kerrick took a step away from standing next to Silver. _What's draggin' _his_ feathers?_ Silver asked himself.

"Here's the game plan, kitties," Bones said when everyone was present. You shall have the day tomorrow to rest up, clean your weapons and ready yourselves. We start the conquest that next morning. This is what's going to happen."

* * *

Two months later, a good portion of the planet had been seized with no word spread to nearby cities. Flint's plan had been working well. Bubby hadn't been wrong when he said that Flint was a disciplined man; each crew member from every ship knew how to be quiet and used strategy to take over whole cities without raising an alarm. Saxleuo was known for its peaceful inhabitants. Most cities didn't have a guard of any kind posted, and the guards in cities that did have minor protections were in plain sight for archers to take out. The men had quietly landed in a deep forest that first day. There, they split into their respective groups and silently stalked through the forest into the first city. They quietly broke into houses and killed the residents in their sleep, always slitting the victim's throats to ensure the vocal chords were disposed of, should they survive the cut for any prolonged measure of time. They did this in every city, afterward raiding the houses and making organized piles of the loot out in the streets. Crews would take turns loading the treasure into longboats and taking it to their ships.

During this time, Silver always tried to fight alongside Ren and keep an eye on him, but always managed to lose him once they were in the cities. When he did see Ren, the boy was constantly watching Flint. He did it discreetly; no one ever seemed to notice amongst the killing and the pillaging. Silver knew the only reason he himself noticed was because he had made it a point to keep an eye on Ren. The boy was certainly up to something.

Kerrick, too, was a weight on Silver's mind. Though he had eventually come around again and acted as though everything was fine, Silver noticed certain mannerisms in him that suggested otherwise. He didn't press the matter. He wasn't sure if trying to bring it up again would make things worse.

One crisp morning the pirates silently stalked into the next city. It was quiet, like always, but the hair on the back of Silver's neck stood on end. He was uneasy, though he wasn't sure why. Ren was also rather shifty. _He must feel it, too_, Silver thought. _Something's going to happen and I don't think I'm going to like it. _Everyone was spreading out in the main street, preparing to start their silent killing.

Suddenly, there was a war-like shriek. In every building, residents streamed out of their homes, ready for combat. They screamed fury and wildly attacked the pirates who were momentarily frozen in shock. A handful of pirates were down before anyone realized what had happened. The chaos was maddening. Above the screams, Silver heard captains shouting orders, telling their crews to kill. He looked back at Ren to discover that the boy was gone. Looking around, he thought he saw a flash of green disappear behind a building. Silver's mind itched. _Where is he going?_ Slowly, quietly, he stalked behind Ren and followed him. They took several turns into back alleys that were deserted of the main fighting. Eventually, Ren stopped at a backdoor to a house. He looked around to see if anyone was following him and ducked inside the house. Silver had ducked behind a crate to avoid detection when he had seen Ren pause. Now he rose to his feet and hustled to the door. Leaning against it, he pressed his ear to hear anything; there was no sound behind the door. Making sure there was no one following him, he opened the door and stepped inside.

Ren was nowhere to be seen. He started to search around the house trying to find him when he heard what sounded like the thud of a trap door above him. He looked up at the bare ceiling and saw nothing. Moving into what seemed to be a living room, he found a staircase. He carefully followed it up two flights. Searching the rooms on the third floor, he finally found one with a door leading to a roof. Underneath the door was a chair which Silver assumed Ren used to reach the top. He stood on the chair and tried to press his ear to the door and hear anything, but the fighting was getting close to where they were and it was hard to hear anything over the screams and the clangs of metal. He took a breath and slowly opened the door which didn't creak. Silver stuck his head through the opening and looked around. When he didn't see Ren, he lifted himself onto the roof and noiselessly closed the door. Looking around, John scratched his head. Where was he? He looked to the right and left at the neighboring houses: the roofs were too far away to jump to.

Silver will ponder for years to come how he managed to hear the shuffling noise below him over the roar of the fight. But he did hear it. Quietly peering over one of the walls he hadn't looked at yet, he saw that there was a lower level roof where the second floor extended longer than the third. There, he saw Ren crouching on the roof with a pistol in his hand. Silver frowned. Pistols were rare and not used much. As it was, the pirates didn't use them. They were too unreliable and faulty, like most new technology is. _Why would he need a pistol to fight these people? Does he feel better shooting them from afar so he doesn't have to feel the life leave their bodies?_

He heard a commanding voice ringing from the square a few yards away and looked up. Flint and a couple other captains were directing the men, fighting and following the mob through the street where they quickly came nearer to the place John and Ren were. He was so captivated watching Flint at his work that he didn't hear the click from Ren cocking the pistol. The only thing that called his attention back to Ren was seeing the boy through his peripheral vision shift to an aiming position. John looked back and forth trying to see where the gun was pointing. Each time he drew a line, he didn't like where it ended. When Ren started to pull the trigger, Silver's shocked disbelief managed to dissolve.

"REN!"

The boy jumped when he pulled the trigger. He missed, but the sound was loud enough to draw attention from a lot of the people below, including Flint. Before anyone could exactly locate where the gun shot had come from, Silver had lept down to the lower roof where Ren was and pushed him below the wall-rail where he wouldn't be seen. He took his sword, raised it above his head and brought it crashing down near Ren. Anyone who noticed where the shot came from would now think the would-be assassin was dead.

Ren recovered his breath. Anger filled his expression and voice. "Why the hell did you do that? You stopped me!"

Silver started to talk then realized he was still being watched. It would be weird to see him talking to a supposed corpse. Looking at the crowd, he saw a handful of people looking, including Flint. Unsure of what to do he nodded awkwardly towards the pirate then knelt down to make it look like he was raiding the body.

"O' course I stopped ye! I saw where ye were aimin'. Ye were tryin' to kill Flint! _Flint_, for sake!"

"Yes, I was trying to kill Flint. Were you not listening to the story I told you that night? He had my entire family killed and my home and _life_ destroyed!"

"But to kill _Flint?_ Ye're daft! The idea is crazy!"

"The idea is _justice_!" he cried. There were tears on his face and he was so distraught that his voice was abnormally high-pitched. Silver knelt there with his mouth open, nothing to say. It was just as well, as Ren hadn't finished: "Do you even realize what you've done, John? You've taken away my first and possibly my _only_ chance after years of planning to destroy Flint. I worked for eight years to get myself at a good enough piracy level to be accepted on one of his ships. _Eight years_ and for the sole purpose of getting closer to him so I could rid the universe of him once and for all! And damnit, John, you just took away the only chance I might ever get to repay him for what he did to me. For what he did to my _family_." Rage consumed him and he promptly punched the wall, breaking a knuckle. He screamed in pain and cried.

"Now ye've done it," Silver said. He went to lift Ren's wrist so he could bandage it with strips of his shirt, but Ren pulled his hand away. The boy got up and tried to run, but Silver caught him by wrapping his arms around Ren's shoulders. "Ren! Calm down ye fool! We have to bandage yer hand before it spreads with infection."

Ren stepped on his foot and jammed his elbow into Silver's stomach. Silver released him and Ren took off.

"REN! Get back here ye crazed oaf!" As the boy lept off the roof and ran towards the safety of the forest Silver let out a frustrated groan. He rather felt like punching a wall himself. _That damned boy could have gotten himself killed had someone seen him! What was he thinking, trying to shoot Flint?_ He sighed. Deciding he at least didn't feel like jumping off a building, he found the second floor trap door and descended into the house. There, he looked around him. Pirates had raided the place already. Things of any value were gone, and the place was in shambles. Chairs and tables were broken or over turned, pictures were busted. There were markings on the walls the pirates had left for no one in particular to ever see. Silver began to walk and stepped on something soft, shaking his balance. When he lifted his foot, there was a small doll. He picked it up. It was a humanized doll of a young girl with two black braided pigtails of woolen hair and a frilly pink dress. The doll looked tattered, as opposed to new, which was evidence of its owner's love for the doll. A memory surged:

"_Aerani was only four."_ Ren had said._ "_Four_. How could there be someone so heartless to kill a four year old? Yet he had it ordered without second thought!"_

Silver thought back to that night and replayed Ren's story in his head. The rapes of his mother and sisters, the torture of his father and brothers. How he had laid there for two days next to the pile of his dead family, without food or water, waiting for the pirates to leave so he could survive. And all the while, watching as his house was burned to the ground and listening to the stories the pirates told in detail of how they killed Ren's family members. Silver looked at the doll engulfed in his hand. He squeezed it hard. _Son of a gun_, he thought. _What have I done?_

_

* * *

  
_

After the fighting was done, Silver was helping the other crews to pile the treasure outside for the longboats to take. He hadn't seen Ren again. But, Ren always managed to show up when he was needed so Silver wasn't too worried, aside from Ren's knuckle being broken and his spirit and dream shattered. As he was helping a fellow pirate set down a heavy trunk full of antiques, he heard someone call his name. He looked around until he saw Bones standing by Flint. Bones was motioning for Silver to come over. Excusing himself to the pirate, he jogged over to the captains. _What could they want? _He swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. _Did they find Ren? Do they know it was him?_

He reached the captains. "Captain Flint, Captain Bones," he acknowledged, standing at attention.

"As ease, my boy." That was Flint. "I was asking Bones your name. I had recognized you from his crew. Am I addressing the pirate who culled the pistol whelp?"

"Aye, captain, t'was me."

Flint nodded. "Good. My appreciation for possibly saving my life. I believe tonight you were to return to _Crossblade_ to act as sentry for the next two days?" Silver nodded. "As a reward for your duty you shall return to the ship on holiday. We shall find a replacement for your shift." Silver recognized his dismissal. He bowed.

"Thank you, sir." He back away and returned to help load the treasure.

**((Author's note: by God, this chapter took **_**.er.**_** to write. And that made me sad because, though it is about two or three pages longer than my previous chapters, it seemed to take less time to read. And oddly enough, though this chapter contained a lot of new and some crucial information, it was absolutely boring to write. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, because the next is going to be… revealing. :smiles:))**


	5. Escape

Chapter Five - Escape

Ren listened to the whispered voices through the pipe.

"We shall have this world taken in no time." That was Flint. "As you know, plenty of my best ships have been hovering around this planet for the past three years destroying any ship that has tried to bring imports of technology or weapons into Saxlueo. And, with the help of the Procyons who have been silently working away on the opposite side of the planet, we are already in complete control. Without three years of new technology the Saxluecians are not properly prepared to defend themselves."

"But you were almost killed today by a pistol-man!" Bones exclaimed.

"William, you know as well as I do that pistols are unreliable. Even if it had hit me it probably wouldn't have killed me."

"With all due respect, Captain, you're not invincible."

"You are right. I have every chance of getting killed out there in the battles. Which is why I have decided to leave the map here from now on."

"Sir! Here on the ship? It's too risky. Most of the crew, save for two each night, are on the planet, fighting. You're going to allow a guard of two men to keep your map safe?"

"It is safer here than on my person in the battle field. If I am killed the map could be taken from my body. Here, it us under lock and no one, aside from you and I, know it is here."

_And now me,_ Ren thought, smiling. He continued to listen, absently rubbing his bandaged fist.

"…like this, but we're still going to go about the same procedure when we're done. Load the treasure, take it to the barge, ship it to the planet, cull the crew and hire a new lot."

"Of course. Have you decided which crew shall go this time?"

"Yours. This crew you've hired seems less adequate than the rest. The process will take longer than usual, because your crew is the smallest of the fleet, but we'll lose less men in the end, and the ones we lose won't be so huge a loss due to their inexperience."

"Aye sir. Might I interject, however… What of Ren? The boy is an efficient servant, extremely good with the sword, despite his size, and he's a mute.

There was a pause. "I suppose if you wish to keep the boy, you may. But you must be careful. If he has friends among the crew he may be reluctant to let you kill them."

"The boy hangs around Silver, mostly, sir. But they seemed to be at ends today."

"Well, perhaps you can use that to your advantage."

_Like hell_, Ren thought. _I'm pissed that John ruined my chance to kill you, but I'm not going to let him die just because I'm angry._

"Now," Flint said. Ren heard something heavy being placed on the table. "Watch very closely. I'm only showing you this once. This is where I'm going to be keeping the map and I need you to know the code, should something happen to me."

Ren had listened for about an hour after that, fifteen minutes longer than Flint was actually in Bones' cabin. Bones had listed over and over the combination to the lock where the map was, and Ren copied it down onto paper. _I will have to act tonight_, Ren thought. _And I'm going to have to do it while the captains are gone. They should be leaving soon to return the longboats to the crews. I wager I will have about two hours between their departure and their return. _Ren thought longer. _I will have to leave right away. They will notice that the map is missing. But how can I leave if they are taking the longboats back?_ Ren decided he better go look at the boats and see how many were still on the ship.

Kerrick was the other crew member who shared the sentry duty. He and Ren were taking turns patrolling the whole ship, sleeping and eating while the other guarded. Making sure that neither Kerrick nor Silver was around, Ren headed towards the longboat hanger. There where two long boats. Ren sighed. _I better make this fast_.

* * *

Silver relaxed in his hammock. Having a small holiday was nice. But though he was comfortable enough and happy to not have to worry about battle for a while, he couldn't stop thinking about Ren. He had mixed emotions about what had happened. Part of him felt for the boy and what he had gone through. But Silver's pride was overwhelming him. He pulled the small doll out of his large pocket and stared at it for a long time.

He wasn't entirely sure that he agreed with what Ren had said. About how he didn't think Silver was a pirate, because he cared for people. _Of course I'm a pirate,_ he thought. _I've killed loads of people, children included, and have felt no remorse. I'm doing my job, after all. And why would I care? I just want to be rich. I just want to have a share in the loot from hundreds of worlds! _But that broken record continued to play inside his head:

"_How could there be someone so heartless as to kill a four year old?_"

He picked a piece of dirt off the doll. _But he killed that kid right in front of me,_ he told himself. _He beheaded the lad! And that's no quick death. When done as swift as that the victims can still live for several minutes after being beheaded. _He shuddered. Though Silver didn't really mind killing, he found beheadings to be creepy. He had tried a post as an executioner on his home planet before he discovered the opportunity for piracy. However, he never made it far enough to actually perform the task. As a new recruit, he had to be trained for a week before handling the reins. He recalled the moving eyes and silently questioning mouths of the condemned. Even after they had been beheaded, they still looked at him and watched him, questioning without being able to ask until slowly, very slowly, they rolled back their eyes, mouth agape, and ceased to be.

He couldn't fall asleep with those images in his head. After tossing and turning for what seemed like an eternity he gave up and resumed thinking. He wondered if he should apologize to Ren. _But for what?_ he asked himself. _For saving my captain and my career? For protecting the greatest pirate in the Etherium, what who's payin' us in gold and riches for our services? I think not!_ He squeezed the doll. _That boy is going to get himself killed the rate he's going. And all his secrecy is driving me crazy! _

_But isn't he entitled to his secrets? _another part of him asked. _Doesn't he have the right to express himself in any manner? Doesn't he deserve the chance to return to Flint the same sentiments that Flint doled to Ren's family? Doesn't he?_

_Well, maybe I don't want him to,_ he argued back to himself. _Maybe I want my opportunity at the fortune ahead o' me by being a part of Flint's crew! Perhaps I think it's time Ren grew up!_

_To be what? A man who found glory in killing children barely old enough to think for themselves? To destroy what had only just begun to live?_

Silver turned angrily in his hammock. Was this what it meant to care for people? To have your mind buzzing with these confusing thoughts and feeling at a loss of what to do? Was it having to decide between what is best for you or someone else? Or, even more, to decide between what you want and what someone else needs? Did caring mean that you hurt all the time? It hurt to think of Ren's past. It hurt to realize that if Ren did not kill Flint he would live a life of agony, yet if he did kill Flint then Silver's dreams of fortune and love of piracy would be at an end. It pained him to be at such ends. He couldn't think properly, he couldn't decide on anything. If this is what it was like caring for people, to hurt and worry and dither, why would he want any part of it? He never asked for emotional attachments, all he wanted was money. Was that too much to seek? Was that wrong of him?

John sighed. Normally he enjoyed thinking, but lately his mind had been filled with these "whats" and "whys" and he couldn't take it. _If that boy thinks he's going to lose me what's owed me, he's got another t'ing coming! _

He could hear noises as the crew returned. Having given up on his sleep, he got out of his hammock, stretched and climbed the stairs to the mess room. Before he made his way to the main deck, he stopped. There was a fire going under a boiling pot. Silver looked around, but didn't see Bubby. So, he walked over to the pot and lifted the lid. There were vegetables boiling inside. Silver took the liberty to stir them for good measure before returning the lid. Then, he stepped back and admired the flames awhile before heading towards the stairs. But when he got to the bottom of the stairs, he stopped. In reaching for the railing, he discovered that the doll was still in his hand. How embarrassing would that have been, to walk aboard the deck of a pirate ship with a child's doll? He stepped away from the stairs, gazing at the doll, smoothing crinkles in the clothes and hair with the pads of his massive fingers.

"_How could there be someone so heartless as to kill a four year old?_"

He squeezed the doll hard. Then, with a low grunt, he turned in a fluid motion and threw the doll into the fire. There, the doll burned, eaten away by the flames until there was nothing left.

A commotion on the deck pulled his attention away from the blue flames:

"You insolent whelp, _WHAT DID YOU TAKE?!_" There was a violent thud somewhere on the deck above Silver where Flint had thrown his victim to the ground. "You two! Take him to the brig. Now!"

Silver ran towards the stairs to see what had happened and nearly collided with Gornon and Aeris. Each of them had a strong hold on either of Ren's arms, dragging the boy to the cell. Despite the assumed extremity of what Silver had heard above him, Ren seemed unnervingly calm.

"What in the bloody hell," Silver started to ask.

"The boy was caught rummaging around in Flint's cabin," Aeris provided. "Trying to steal some of the gold for extra, no doubt." As they got further from Silver, he heard Aeris say, "And I had a good level of respect for you, too…"

He stormed up the steps, only to be stopped by Kerrick.

"I wouldn't recommend going up there just now, mate," he said. "Flint is fit to scorch. Best to stay down here, out of sight and out of the way."

"Well, what happened?" Silver asked, backing down the steps to sit at on of the tables. "I heard Flint screamin' and the next t'ing I know Ren is being dragged to the brig and Aeris is blabberin' somethin' about breaking into Flint's cabin."

Had Silver been his normal calm self at the time, he would have noticed Kerrick's hesitation to speak. As it was, he took the Falcion's search for words to only mean that he was trying to properly recall what all had happened. "Well," Kerrick said, "the boy was, er, caught. In Flint's cabin, going through his things." His confusion quickly turned to a decided bitterness. "Probably trying to get an unnoticed bonus in addition to his payment."

_Rummaging around in _Flint's _cabin? By t'under, the boy is daft! He's goin' to be killed!_ Then anger gripped him. _Well, if he's stupid enough to get himself dug into such t'ings that's _his_ fault. I won't help him steal from Flint or this crew; or from me!_

"That little _idiot_," Silver muttered.

"My apologies, Silver. I know you two are friends."

"Were," John corrected. "We _were_ friends. Up until earlier today, that is." One of Kerrick's eye brows shot up his forehead. "We had a… disagreement," Silver confided. "Remember the fight earlier today? When the city broke out in chaos and someone tried to kill Flint with a pistol?"

"Aye, you killed him."

Silver shook his head. "No, I only made it _look_ like I killed 'im. Ren was the one who had tried to kill Flint." Kerrick leaned on the table, listening with intent interest. "He has a grudge against Flint. His entire family was killed on Flint's orders several years ago."

"So he thinks, after his missed opportunity of killing him that he can get back at Flint by searching through his cabin and stealing an extra bit of gold?"

"I guess. I don't know what to make o' him anymore. Every time I t'ink I start to figure this kid out, he changes on me."

"Well, what do you care? He's just a boy, after all."

"Yeah," Silver muttered. "Just a boy…"

* * *

The rest of the evening was spent with most of the crew staying out of Flint's way. Only once did the captain go below deck to the brig, returning with a bag that jingled of gold and jewels. After that, he called for the crew to assemble.

"Tonight, one of your crew members has attempted to steal his own bonus from your wages." There was a mutinous growl from the crew. Flint held up a silencing hand. "Rest well tonight. Tomorrow we wake early for to make an example." With that, he turned and locked himself once more in his room. The crew bursts into conversation of anger or excitement of watching Ren suffer for what he tried to do. Mav'c seemed especially satisfied.

Silver didn't say anything. He climbed the highest mast and sat, sulking, in its tallest crosstree. He spent an hour trying to convince himself of the justice in Ren's execution. _The boy tried to steal from everyone, myself included_. _It's his own fault he's to be killed tomorrow._ He wiped his hand across his face. _I should be just as pleased, like everyone else. So why am I not? Why does it feel like there's something wrong with this whole scenario?_ He thought back to his last encounter with Ren: as he was being taken to the brig. The boy had been calm, struggling, but not with a whole lot of effort. Silver sighed. _That damned boy is up to somet'ing again. He was exactly where he wanted to be. _

After a while, his thoughts were interrupted by Markus:

"Oi! Silver." John looked a few crosstrees down. "The traitor wants a word."

"And what makes him t'ink I care?" John growled.

"Damn it all, Silver, I don't know! But he's been throwing paper at me for almost an hour trying to get me to find you. It's annoying!" He must have seen the stubborn look in John's face. "For sake, will you just go see what he wants? I don't want him pestering me all night, savvy?" He climbed down to the deck and returned to the brig. After a moment's pause to calm himself, Silver, too, descended and climbed below deck to the brig.

_If he t'inks I'm goin' to help him out of this in any way, he's in for a rude awakening. I already saved his life once today, and if this is his ungrateful way of expressing his thanks then I'm not going to perform the same gesture twice!_

He stormed into the brig where Markus was standing outside the door. There were crumpled pieces of paper everywhere. "Take your time," Markus said as he walked away. "I'm taking a break while you're in there."

Silver sighed, braced himself and walked through the open door, closing it after he entered. Ren was sitting on the small pile of straw used as a bed. When John walked in, Ren smiled and stood up. There was a thick layer of cloth around the hand he had punched into a wall, and he winced in pain as he used that hand to brush bits of straw from his clothes. Then, he walked to the bars and leaned on them. Silver stood where he was, arms folded, glaring at a spot just above Ren's head.

"What do ye want?" he asked, a tone of annoyance escaping his throat.

Ren frowned. "Now, that's hardly friendly."

"Is it? I hadn't noticed. I wasn't even aware that we were still on friendly speaking terms. Of course, I'm not exactly payin' attention. My mind is rather preoccupied t'inkin' o'bout the traitor who in one short day attempted to kill my ranking captain _and_ steal from his own crew."

"John, that isn't-"

"And let's not forget," Silver interrupted, his mounted frustrations rising with his anger, "that when I did save his life earlier today, he got pissed and took off. Wouldn't even let me help him with the knuckles he had so stupidly tried to mold with a brick wall."

"Damnit, John, would you just let me-"

"Let you what? Talk and explain t'ings, soothe me and tell me how everyt'in's goin' to be okay? How everyt'in' is going to work out because ye've got it all under control and it's all goin' accordin' to plan?"

"Yes," Ren answered.

Silver started to argue then stopped, flustered and surprised. Whatever he had been expecting Ren to say, an agreement wasn't it. He stood there, momentarily forgetting his anger. Ren jumped at the silence:

"Silver, I wasn't trying to steal from the crew's treasure. That was a cover-up. I do have to say that I was trying to avoid getting placed in the brig, but I prepared for this possibility."

"But that's just it!" John said, his argument back. "Ye have this all planned out! Ye're up to somethin' again, and I don't know what it is. I tried to stop ye from getting into trouble that you couldn't get out of, but ye got there anyway!"

Ren's eyebrows raised. "Did you not hear me? I _prepared_ for this, John. I can get out of this cell anytime I want."

"Then what the bloody hell do you need me for?"

"I don't."

Silver sighed, vexed, and turned to leave.

"Oh, damnit, John, don't leave. Hear me out, for sake!" The Ursid stopped, his hand still on the doorknob, prepared to leave. "Alright, I'll hear ye out. But it better be good, because my patience is wearin' thin."

"Silver, it's not a matter of needing your help, it's _wanting_ your help. It's wanting to discuss what's going on to someone I care about and who cares about me."

"I don't care about ye anymore," John retorted, still glaring at the door.

"Liar."

John turned around. "Excuse me?"

Ren shrugged. "You're lying."

"And who are ye to dictate when I'm lyin' and when I'm tellin' the truth?"

"John, if you didn't care about me you wouldn't be here at all right now. You never would have come in the first place." Silver tried to find an argument, any argument, but found himself cornered. Ren sighed. "But this isn't what I wanted to talk to you about." He looked Silver in the eye. "I have it," he said meaningfully.

"Have what?" Silver asked slowly, not sure if he really wanted to ask that question.

"The map. I have Flint's map to where he has his treasure stashed."

Silver blinked, not sure he heard correctly. "What?"

"I did not intend to get caught tonight. However, as I was making my preparations, I had to re-enter his cabin to make sure everything was where I found it and that's when I got caught. I had to make a cover up quick, so I grabbed a bagful of the treasure in his room and made it look like I was stealing money." He talked quickly, not sure if Silver was going to interrupt him at all. "As far as Flint is concerned, he and Bones are the only two who know the map is being kept aboard. I made that cover-up so that he wouldn't even suspect my stealing the map."

"But how did ye know where it was? Surely it was locked up!"

Ren nodded. "It was locked, yes. However, don't forget that I was supposed to replace you in your sentry duties. They were talking about the map in Bones' room, and I over heard them while passing the pipes. So, I listened. Getting it was easier than you'd think," he said mildly. "They don't put a whole lot of concern into hiding a map that supposedly no one else even knows exists."

"And what, pray tell, are ye plannin' to do with it? Surely not steal it all."

"But that _is_ what I plan. Unless, of course, I can't, in which case I'll simply destroy it."

Silver jumped. "_Destroy_ it? All o' it?"

"Silver, think on it. What better way is there to get back at Flint for what he did to my family? I can destroy the only thing he loves, just as he did to me! It's a vengeance worse than death."

Silver stared at Ren. "But surely ye're joking. Ye wouldn't really _destroy_ all that gold?"

"Why not? What use have I for gold?"

"What use? For cryin' in a bucket, Ren, it's _gold_! It's wealth and fortune!"

Ren crossed his arms. "Perhaps you have that greed. I don't."

They stared at each other. Eventually, Ren said: "I'm leaving tonight."

"How? Ye're locked in a cell in case you haven't noticed."

"The map wasn't the only thing I stole." He retreated to the hay in the corner. Shifting some of it aside, he uncovered his belt purse, sword and a paper contraption. Silver looked behind him at the shelves where they normally place the prisoner's possessions. He hadn't noticed before that there was nothing there. "How did you get yer stuff in the cell?" he asked, curious.

"Like I said, I planned for this. One of the first things I did was come down here before I was caught and hide my sword and pouch underneath the straw. No one seemed to notice that I didn't have my things on me." He picked up the contraption and showed it to Silver through the bars. "What is that t'ing?" Silver asked.

"It's a crossbow. It's not finished yet, but it will only take another half hour to do."

John stared at the boy. "Uh, Ren. Ye do realize that your 'crossbow' is made out of paper, yeah?"

Ren nodded. "And rubber bands. Which is also what I stole from Flint."

"And what do ye plan to do with it? Give someone a paper cut?"

"No," Ren said with a snort. "When made correctly and aimed properly, a crossbow made of paper can be lethal."

"I'll believe that when I see it."

"Well, stick around for another half hour and I could show you," Ren said, winking.

Silver laughed in spite of himself.

"Look," the boy said, serious once more. "I have everything prepared. I'm leaving tonight."

John frowned. "Why tell me any of this? How do ye know I'm not goin' to warn the rest o' the crew?"

"Are you?"

Silver paused and thought. Did this boy really deserve to die for trying to do what he believes to be right? Was it right that he should be made an example of for something he didn't do? "No," Silver said finally. "No, I won't be tellin' anyone."

Ren nodded. "Thank you."

"But still, why tell me? Aren't ye mad at me at all for stoppin' ye earlier today? You haven't talked to me at all this evenin'!"

John saw Ren's only visible eyebrow crawl up the boy's forehead. "I'm telling you because you're my friend. Yes, we had a spat. But I'm not going to shun you because of it. That's not what friends do." He kept his gaze leveled at John. "Friends forgive and help each other. They move on and accept what comes their way, handling it as best they can."

Silver took a few moments to digest what Ren said. Finally, he nodded. "Ye're right. I'm sorry for ruinin' your chance earlier today. But I can't let ye kill him. Not when this is my job; this is how I've chosen to spend my life and I want the money that's owed me."

"It's alright. I understand that you didn't exactly realize what was going on. I thought my intentions would have been clear to you when I told you about my family, but apparently I was wrong." An ironic grin spread across the boy's face. "I guess it's true what they say: Men don't understand hints."

John tilted his head. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Ren said, shaking his head. "Forget I mentioned it."

There was another silence. Then:

"Come with me, John."

Silver jumped. "What?"

"Come with me," the boy pleaded. "Help me. Let's find his trove and destroy it together. You can take some of it first if you want, I don't care, but please come with me."

"I can't! I can't desert a pirate ship under Flint's command! He'll hunt me down and kill me!"

"John, he's going to kill you anyway."

He stared at the boy. "I know ye hate Flint, and ye're probably upset that he's going to kill ye tomorrow morning, but I haven't done anyt'ing to upset him. In fact, he _likes_ me. I saved his life, you know."

Ren shook his head. "You don't understand. He's going to kill you. All of you. We are the next crew that is supposed to take the treasure from this planet to wherever he is stashing it. But he doesn't want anyone to know where it is. Once he's gotten you all to do all the labor and haul the treasure where it needs to be, he's going to kill you so that no one can leak his secret." Silver looked Ren in the eye. The boy wasn't joking. "John, please, come. I don't want him to kill you. When I told you that I was going to take every measure to protect my friend, I meant it. Please."

There was that look again. John couldn't figure out for the life of him what it was. It was soft and pleading. What was it? What was Ren thinking? John thought for a long time.

"He's really goin' to kill us?"

"Yes."

"And ye're sure ye can get us out o' here?"

"It is not certain, but I believe I can. And with your help we can better our chances."

Silver nodded. "Alright. I'll go with ye. I must be a damned fool, but I'll go with ye."

Ren looked as though he would collapse to the floor in relief. Then he looked at Silver again. "There's something you need to understand, though." Silver looked questioningly at the boy, who sighed. "We can't tell Kerrick. We can't take him with us."

"Why not?" Silver asked, horrified.

"I don't trust him at all. He's alright as far as having a conversation with goes, but I cannot trust him. He is a pirate. He only cares for himself. I don't know what it is about him, but I know that this escape will go horribly awry if he's a part of it. I'm sorry," he added. "But we can't."

"But… he's our friend."

Ren shook his head. "He's your friend, not mine. There are reasons why I remain silent around him, not just verbally." He looked up at Silver's troubled face. "Don't worry about him. As long as we escape with the map, he and the rest of the crew will be fine. I know Flint's character; this map is important to him. Once he realizes it's gone, he will put a halt to all plundering to search for it. And he'll want every able hand to help him."

"If ye're sure…"

"I am."

"Alright," Silver sighed. "What do I need to do?"

* * *

Markus shifted on his feet. He was tired and bored, watching the stupid traitor. It had been two hours since Silver left the brig, where he headed towards the longboat hanger, muttering something about leaving a possession in one of the boats earlier. He had only just noticed that Silver had never come back. He was about to go see what the Ursid was up to, when a crumpled piece of paper hit him on the back of the head. He turned and glared at Ren, picking up the parchment and opening it:

_**I'm bored. Care to entertain me with your stupidity?**_

"My _stupidity?_" he said, angered. He stormed into the brig. "How dare you-" He stopped. Ren was standing there, grinning on the other side of the bars, his hands apparently clasped behind his back. He was wearing all black, not the original outfit he was wearing upon his admittance to the cell. At his waist were his belt purse and his sword. "How did you get those?" he asked.

Ren's response was to take his hands from behind his back and aim a paper thing at him. It looked in shape to be a cross bow. Markus snorted. And stepped closer to the bars. "I don't know how you managed to make that, but it's very cute." He watched Ren continue to aim at him. "What, you think you're going to hurt me with _that_?" He threw his head back in a laugh.

Ren shot him in the throat at point blank. Markus gasped in surprised and fell to the floor in front of the bars. Ren reached out and took the key ring from the corpse and put another paper bolt in the bow, waiting to see if anyone else was coming. Apparently no one heard the commotion; most of the crew was asleep right now. Making sure he had everything, he unlocked the door and quietly stepped out. "See?" he asked the dead body dryly. "That was _extremely _entertaining."

Making sure there was no one in the hall outside, he doused the torch in the brig, creating a total darkness. He shifted his bandana so that it covered the eye that was usually visible. The covered eye, used to the darkness, adjusted immediately to the lack of light. Quietly, he slipped through the black hallways until he was in the dimly lit hanger where the longboats, and Silver, were waiting.

Silver stared at the boy in disbelief. "The crossbow _did_ work?"

"Uh, yeah," Ren said. "Why wouldn't it? Did you fix the boats?" Silver nodded. "Good," the boy said. "Which one are we taking?"

As they were preparing the boat, someone spoke loudly from down the corridor:

"Markus? Why the hell is there no light down here? Markus?"

Ren growled his own stupidity. Of course there would be someone coming to relieve Markus as guard. Why hadn't he remembered that? Silver worked faster trying to be quiet.

"It's no good," Ren said. "He's going to bring the others. Just hurry!" Ren ran to the door and closed it, barring it shut. The door was loud; if the crew hadn't been wakened before, they were now. He heard the thuds of running feet above. Ren ran over and pulled the lever that allowed the hanger to slowly start opening. The crew had already started to breakdown the door.

Running, Ren leapt into the longboat Silver was in and they started the engine. They had just started detaching the ropes to leave when the crew finally broke through.

"Don't let him escape! Don't let him escape!" someone was yelling.

They undid the final knots and the boat fell into the Etherium. Silver immediately gunned the motor and they took off. It was only a matter of minutes before the crew started to chase them, full speed in the rest of the long boats. But one by one, each of the boats began to slow to a crawl. Ren grinned. "Nice work on those solar gauges," he said.

Silver bowed mockingly.

There was a loud _boom!_ and they looked up. Apparently some of the crew had gotten to the cannons and were firing at the longboat. Eventually the noise awakened most of the surrounding ships in the fleet. The hangers on the hull of their boats began to open, and the ones within range were also starting to shoot their cannons. Ren cursed.

Then one of the cannons hit their sail squarely. The boat lurched and started to slow. Though they were still moving and could still steer, they were losing precious speed. The longboats from the other ships were catching up. In a panic, Ren stood, trying to get a better eye on what was around them, trying to figure out something, anything, to get away.

Silver turned the boat violently to avoid another cannot. Ren lost his balance and fell, landing on his side with an unusually loud thud, hurting his hip on something hard in the pouch attached to his belt. The boy yelled in pain and rolled over, clutching his hip. "_Damn_ that's going to hurt in the morning," he said with tears in his eyes.

"Ren, what's happenin'?" Silver was looking around frantically. He saw the boy look up.

"They're gaining on us is what's happening!" Indeed, they were. Their boat had slowed completely and within a minute the other pirates will have caught up with them.

"No, not that. The air… do ye feel it?" Silver shivered. The air was _different_, yet familiar. Just like the day when Flint had arrived.

And it happened again, just as it had happened before. A great, triangular space opened before them, but it was closer this time. It was right in front of them. But the land on the other side was gone. The Etherium glowed brightly in that space. They heard yells from the approaching long boats. _They're too close!_ Silver thought. _We'll never make it!_

They crawled closer and closer to the portal. The pirates were only two hundred yards away. Silver reached out his fingers as they slowly came within reach of the triangle. The cries of the pirates got louder as they got closer. They were 90 yard away; Silver and Ren were halfway through the portal. Fifty yards away; all the way through the portal. Twenty five yards; Silver turned to see the pirates approaching from the other side. Fifteen yards…

And the space disappeared, the pirates along with it. There was no longer any visible trace of the fleet or even Saxleuo. After a few minutes of nervous anticipation, nothing happened. The pirates were not coming. They both sighed their relief. Ren sagged to the floor, rubbing his bruised hip.

"How did that happen?" Silver asked. "That space opened when Flint arrived. Surely he didn't open it again to let us escape?"

"No, he didn't." Ren pulled something spherical and golden from his pouch. It was slightly larger than the boy's fist and completely smooth. Around the outside was a design: small, hallow circles with straight lines wrapping all the way around as if they were orbiting the object. Ren tossed it to Silver, who felt the cold metal rest in his fingers. "Is this the map?" he asked.

"Yep. I landed on it when I fell over. Perhaps I triggered the portal; it opened just after I had fallen."

Silver messed with it. He turned it over, ran the pads of his fingers along it and tried turning it on the lines, with no success. "How does it work?" he asked.

"I've no idea," Ren said, catching it when Silver tossed it back to him. He returned it to his pouch. They looked around. "Any idea where we are?"

Silver shook his head. "None. I don't recognize any o' these planets."

They sailed on in silence for several hours. It was slow going; there was no way that they could mend that sail until they could get supplies. But they didn't want to land anywhere until they knew where they were, or at least until they knew how close they were to Flint and his fleet.

About seven hours into their slow procession, Ren sighed. "John, I owe you an apology." Silver turned to look curiously at the boy, who hung his head slightly. "I know it frustrates you that I've been so secretive. Well, now that we're away from the pirates and not in any immediate danger, now would be as good a time as any to tell you more about myself."

Silver nodded. "Alright." The boy sat for a while, looking at though he was trying to decide what to say, or how to say it. He was constantly wriggling, as if trying to be a little more comfortable. Suddenly he said, "Oh, damnit all, I can't _think_ with this cursed thing on!" He pulled a small knife out of his boot, one Silver had never known about. Then he un-tucked his shirt at the back and awkwardly cut at something underneath it. Silver heard the sound of tearing cloth.

Finally, the material gave way and two bulges appeared on Ren's chest. She pulled her hands back, one holding the dagger, the other the material that had been holding her breasts flat. She breathed in deeply and stretched. "Oi, it's like being able to _really _breath again," she said.

Silver stared in shock and disbelief. She massaged her chest, working out any uncomfortable kinks in them from a long time of being banded flat, not really caring that Silver was there or watching.

"What the _hell_?" Silver blurted.

She gulped and looked him in the eye. "Please, try not to be angry. You don't know how hard it was for me not to tell you."

He scratched his head. "I'm in too much of a shock to be angry, I think." He shook his head as she removed the bandana and began unbraiding her hair. "How did ye hide it all this time?" he asked suddenly. "Surely someone would have noticed while ye used the head."

She smiled. "Well, I always made sure to use the head quickly and when no one else was around. There were a couple of close calls, though. It was another reason I passed myself off as a mute. When I first spoke to you, I was sure you'd hear it in my voice… but you didn't seem to suspect."

"Then it _was_ ye who screamed that one night."

She blushed. "Aye. That was me. I had been having a nightmare about my family. And, well, every once in a while I will sleepwalk." She shrugged. Then she looked past John, frowning. She leaned forward. "Is that… Montressor Space Port?"

John turned and squinted into the distance. Far away, just barely recognizable was what appeared to be a bright crescent-shaped star. "Aye, it is. But that's on the other side of the galaxy from Saxlueo!"

Ren grinned. "Guess we won't have to worry about Flint finding us any time soon, then."

He turned to look at her, too exhausted to feel anything more than a mild amusement at the fact that his best friend of almost a year just revealed herself to be a female. Her hair taken down was extremely long and wavy from being in a braid for so long. For the first time he saw Ren full in the face without the handkerchief on. The only problem was, this was no longer Ren.

"So," Silver said, "do I still call ye Ren?"

She smiled. "If you wish. My real name is Serenity."

"And what of the rest that ye've told me about yerself? Is that true?"

"Yes," she nodded gravely. "What I told you of my family and my childhood is true."

More silence. "Well, what else about ye don't I know?"

"Quite a few things, I'm sure," she admitted. "And I shall tell them to you in due course. As of right now, I'm exhausted and I want to get off this boat. I have some coin on me; let's get to the Space Port and find a place to stay for a night or two and I shall answer any questions you have of me."

Silver adjusted the rudder and they slowly made their way to the Spaceport.

**(Author's note: Did this chapter go by too fast for you guys? It felt like I read it in two minutes… Anyway! A few references to be given here: The first is about the guillotines or beheadings. Yes, it is now believed to be true that beheading by the guillotine was so fast and clean a cut, that people actually still remained alive for several minutes after being beheaded. You can double check this on wikipedia under "guillotines", referencing the part about living heads****. Also, in reference to the paper crossbow: killing someone with this contraption is HIGHLY unlikely, but CAN be done, if done properly. You can thank Mythbusters for my knowledge of this. You can google the episode they did on it; it's really sick!**** At this point, I figure I may as well continue my speech here by throwing in some disclaimers: John Silver and Treasure Planet are owned by Disney, as are both captains Flint and Bones. The rest of the characters are mostly names I created on a whim. The character of Serenity, or Ren, is owned by me.**** Alright, I think that's enough rambling. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next shall start Serenity's story of how she came to be a part of Flint's pirating crew.)**


	6. Past

Chapter Six - Past

It took them almost a full day to reach the Spaceport. Serenity didn't have enough money to pay repairs on the longboat, so she sold it to a boat builder who would recycle any good parts still intact. When that was settled, they walked to the nearest inn and reserved a couple rooms for the night.

John sat in his room on a large chair waiting for Serenity. Though he still wasn't sure what to make of this whole situation, he had to admit it was nice to be clean. He had had his clothes washed while he took a bath, the first real one he had taken since stepping aboard _Crossblade_. Now he sat, thinking.

_Ren's a girl._ He couldn't get over that, try as he might. He tried thinking back to different times he had interacted with Ren on the ship. Had he ever suspected? Had he ever wondered? _Of course not,_ he answered himself. _ I never knew she was a girl. She was Ren an' that was that. I questioned an' wondered o'bout her life an' who she was… but I never once thought that he was a she! _ He slouched in his chair.

"_You know who I am, you just don't know what I am,"_ Ren had told him once. Was this what she had meant? That he knew her for who she was as his friend and just didn't know her real gender? _But that doesn't make sense! _He told himself. _I still don't even know her at all. I see that now. I know her personality, but I don't know _who_ she is. I don't know where she grew up or how she became who she is now._ _I don't even know-_

A soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in," he said.

Serenity opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind her. She, too, had taken a bath. Her hair was still damp. Though she still wore her black pants tucked into her boots, she had removed the bandana. She was also wearing a different shirt. It was a shade of grey blue as unusual as her eyes. Slightly more form fitting than the green shirt she had worn as a pirate, it was held up by two pieces of cloth that were attached at the front of the shirt and wrapped around her neck to attach again at the back. There were two loose sleeves that draped the sides of her arms, leaving her shoulders bare. At her waist she had her belt, compete with sheathed sword and belt purse. She smiled and sat down on the bed.

"That bath was _heavenly_," she said. "I haven't taken a real bath since I stepped foot on _Crossblade_."

John gave a half-hearted chuckle. How was he supposed to act around this woman? He couldn't treat her like the homely, innocent females of her age who were ignorant and docile, but he certainly couldn't treat her like Ren either. Though he knew Serenity was the same friend he had made almost a year ago, he still couldn't break himself from feeling like Ren and Serenity were two entirely different human beings with two separate relationships with him. Ren was a mystery and Serenity is a stranger.

He felt her staring at him and looked up. She sighed and leaned forward, clasping her hands on her knees. "I was hoping to lighten the air a little, but I suppose that's not going to happen, eh?"

"Oh, I'm fine," he lied.

"You're fine and I'm a daffodil," she retorted. She caught his eyes. "You don't have to act like everything is right as rain, John. I know you must be feeling awkward right now. I would be."

He exhaled slowly; releasing a knot in his throat he hadn't known was there. "Well," she said, "I think you've waited long enough. What would you like to know?"

Though he had been waiting for this conversation for almost a year, he couldn't think of specific questions. He wanted to know everything, but how does one ask that? "Why don't ye first tell me a little o'bout yerself: yer family, where ye were born, that sort o' thing? We can go further from there."

She nodded. "Alright.

"I was born on the planet of Viridis Vida in the Star Point galaxy. I was the fifth of six children; two older brothers, two older sisters and a younger sister. My parents ran a dairy farm, selling both milk and cow meat. I went to a school called Salemdale Elementary, where I learned my letters and math and etiquette."

John nodded, but didn't say anything. His mind buzzed with curiosity. Now-a-days children going to school is more common, but eight years ago that was not the case. Typically only wealthier families had enough money to send their children to schools. If Serenity's parents had six children and enough money to send them to schools instead of home schooling, then they must have been wealthy indeed! He put that curiosity away for another time. "What where their names?" he asked instead.

"My mother and father were James and Beth. My two older brothers were James and Colin, and my sisters were Charlotte, Marlene and Aerani. James was the eldest, then Charlotte, Marlene, Colin, myself and Aerani. James was engaged to be married to a lady named Holly, before Flint arrived…" Her voice trailed off. Silver glanced at her and saw her staring at the floor, lost in memories. After a few moments he cleared his throat. When that didn't get her attention, he said, "Serenity?"

She blinked and looked up. "Sorry," she muttered. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. When it was clear she wasn't planning on saying anything more, John spoke again. "Well, I already know what happened to yer family, so I won't ask ye o'bout that." She nodded her thanks. "So how did ye end up a part o' Flint's crew?" he asked.

She thought for a few minutes. "Well," she said eventually, "I started learning to be a pirate about a year after Flint destroyed my home planet. When all the survivors had been located, we got onto whatever able boats were left and sailed to the neighboring planet of Befeldar. There, I was placed in an orphanage. It was a horrible place," she remarked bitterly. "I ran away during a field trip. It wasn't the smartest idea, however. I was eleven, completely unfamiliar with the planet I was on and had no money. I begged for and even stole food. Sometimes families would take pity on me and let me sleep in their homes for a night, where I could feed and take a bath. But I would always leave the next day. I didn't want to stay in one place too long, in case the orphanage was looking for me.

"I kept wandering. I wasn't going any where particular, I was just running. Running away from my past, trying to get as far from it as possible. Eventually I came across a man named Bennett. He was an idiot drunk, but he was also a crafty thief. He took a liking to me when I tried to steal his purse while he was drunk at a bar. He taught me how to do things like lock picking, stealing from people's pockets, and taught me handy tips, such as making sure everything is in its original place when I search rooms. I learned how to make clever disguises and how to read people's body language. He also taught me a good number of wrestling tips. I stayed with him for about a year. Then I overheard him talking to someone. Like most drunks, Bennett was in a lot of debt. He had apparently made a deal with the person he owed: That he would prepare me as a wife for the man in exchange for clearing his name. Soon after that I left. And I made sure to steal what I could from Bennett.

"Sometime later, about three month and several miles away from Bennett, I was walking down an alley and I heard some laughter. I would have ignored it but I also heard a whine and then a yelp from a dog. I peered around a corner and there they were: A small group of pirates gathered around a puppy. They were toying with him and hurting him; their idea of having fun. Well, I got angry and charged in at them. I leapt up onto the back of the closest pirate and punched him in the windpipe. By then the others had come over to grab me, so I started brawling like I was taught to do by Bennett during bar fights. I dropped from the guy's back when one of them made to grab me. He grabbed his friend instead and I kicked him in the shin. Another pirate came up behind me and lifted me up. I started flailing my feet anywhere they would go and I must have managed to kick him in the groin, because he dropped me. I managed to kick another pirate in the knee and punch another in the stomach before they were finally able to detain me.

"The captain happened to be there. He came over and knelt in front of me, looking me in the eyes. He was a Beatitas, tall and thin with white fur and five sharp claws at the end of each paw. His eyes glowed with the reflection of what little light was in the alley and his tail twitched idly. He extended one of his long claws and lifted my chin to look at him. I fought until I realized that my chin was bleeding from his claw. After that, I stayed still.

"'What is your name, child?' he had asked me. When I didn't answer right away he dug his claw a little further into my chin. I eventually told him my name was Ren. He gave me a speech about my little explosion, and sarcastically congratulated me on hurting some of his men. He told me that normally he would have killed me right off, but he was in a generous mood and somewhat impressed with my abilities. Said it would be a shame to 'kill someone so potentially useful'. He took me to his boat and made me perform cabin boy duties.

"The crew wasn't too happy about that. For one, some of them wanted to kill me because I had humiliated them and hurt them. The others who had been on the boat at the time were superstitious and said it was bad luck to have a woman on board the ship. The captain, Sparcian was his name, he basically told them to stuff it. Said that I was a girl, not a woman, not old enough to mount and therefore not old enough to cause dissent amongst the crew." She paused, taking in a deep breath. "One thing I always hate is lust. I hate that so many men look at a woman and all they see is her figure or her fertility and ignore her wishes and her life. It's disgusting." She shook her head. "Anyway, I was on that ship for about five years. It started off extremely rough at first. I was shoved around, insulted, picked on. Sparcian let them do just about anything to me, short of killing me. I was lucky to be young enough that none of them tried to go down any sexual road with me, but I did get beaten several times. I never gave up though, and I think that was what eventually saved me. It seemed to grow into an amusement for the crew that they would continually shove me down and I would just as often come up with new plans to escape or get even. Eventually they started critiquing me, giving me tips on how I could have done something better or praising me on rather creative things I had done. It took me a while, but I realized that I had stopped really trying to escape. I was learning things from these men.

"Eventually I started getting included in conversations as well. That is how I learned of Flint. They described him for me and told tales of his glorious acts. Eventually they talked about planets he had destroyed, mentioning mine in the list. I became obsessed and filled with hate. I learned all I could of Flint and began devising a plan to kill him. I began asking everyone in the crew to teach me anything I could learn: sword fighting, wrestling, strategy. They began to grow fond of me. I eventually became one of the crew. And, if you were wondering, that _does_ include killing people." She hung her head. "They knew I didn't like it. I avoided it as often as possible. But I was eventually threatened with marooning or death if I didn't start fulfilling my duties. And I needed to learn from them.

"Then, about two years ago, I was talking to some of my crew members. They had learned some news from the last planet we had landed at: Flint was hiring. I spoke to the captain in private and told him everything. How I was grateful to him for not killing me so many years ago and for taking care of me on his ship, but how I had only one thing I wanted to do with my life and it was to hunt and kill Flint. I asked him and pleaded that he let me leave the ship so I could hire onto Flint's crew and follow through with my plans to assassinate him. We talked it over for a little while. He confessed that he was impressed by everything I had learned since boarding his ship and by my courage. He said it was brave of me, if not stupid, to want to leave on my own to try and kill the most famous and crafty pirate in the universe. But in the end he agreed to let me go.

"So, I stayed aboard until we landed at a planet where I knew Flint was hiring. There, I left the crew. I bought some clothes that would hide my gender and passed myself off as an 18 year old mute human male. I thought about cutting my hair, but it would have to keep cutting it regularly. So I tied it in the braid and covered my face with the handkerchief. It would work just as well as an eye patch, but covered more of my face. I spent several weeks practicing my disguise in public places. When I was certain that everyone I met mistook me for a male and was confident enough in myself that I would not accidentally speak when I was supposed to be a mute, I searched for the employers and was hired onto _Crossblade_." She shrugged and looked at John. "The rest you know."

He looked back at her, searching her eyes. Certainly what she had said was all true. The hurt and passion in her eyes was enough to confirm that. So what now? He knew about her past, he was with her for some of it, and was with her now. What was left?

"So what do ye plan to do now?" He asked eventually.

She thought about her answer for some time. Then she took the golden sphere from her pouch, running her fingers along its markings. "I plan to get back at Flint. I want to buy a boat, sail to where ever he has his treasure stashed and destroy it. I want to make sure he doesn't get a single copper penny of what he's stolen from countless people." She paused, looking down again. "And I would like to do it with your help. With a friend by my side. I've been alone for so long…"

He raised an eyebrow. "Ye want me t' help ye destroy all that treasure? Everyt'in'?"

She sighed. "When we find it, you can take some. I don't care. I just don't want Flint to get it. Take as much as you want or can and we can destroy the rest." She looked at him. "Please, say you'll come with me."

John smiled. "Serenity, I already agreed t' come with ye. I agreed back on _Crossblade_ when ye first told me ye had the map and Flint was plannin' on killin' everyone… remember?"

"Oh… right." She chuckled quietly, her cheeks red.

"So how do ye plan on buyin' a new boat?" Silver asked. "They're not cheap."

"Well," she said, "I was thinking that we might be able to pay passage to get us to Viridis Vida. It's not that far from here, just a couple days ride. There was a secret place in the woods by my house where my parents stashed emergency money. I know Flint didn't get it. No one ever searched the woods for more than witnesses who might leak word. I'm sure there's enough in there to buy us a small boat. Then we can sail to the treasure and take it from him."

Silver nodded. "Sounds good t' me. When do we start?"

"Tomorrow," she said. She stopped rubbing the map and lifted it up, glaring at it. "The only thing is," she confessed, "I haven't been able to open this. I can't figure out how it works."

"Let me see?" Serenity tossed it to him. He ran his fingers along the lines, looking at it up close. He tried turning it along the lines, twisting with all his strength, but it didn't move. They messed with it for a little while, but their yawns caught up with them. Serenity put the map back in her pouch.

"I guess we can deal with it later, when we're not so tired." She stood up and stretched. John admired her figure for a moment. Now that he was relaxed he did have to admit, if anything, that Serenity was an attractive woman. Her hair had dried, showing it to be naturally straight, not wavy like it was when she had first taken it out of the braid. He noticed all of this with nothing more than a mild interest. She was, after all, still Ren. Definitely not someone he would ever be interested in romantically; it would be way too weird for him.

"I'll swing by some time tomorrow morning. We can have breakfast before we look for someone who might be willing to ferry us."

"Alright," he said, forgetting what he had just been thinking about and stifling a yawn. They both stood up, Serenity heading for the door, Silver for the bed. "See you in the morning."

"Goodnight."

**(Author's Note: Small chapter today. I would prefer to have something long for you guys to read, but this is all I wanted to get covered in this chapter and I want to avoid rambling. We got to learn about Serenity's past. Hopefully some of you enjoyed that. My apologies for taking so long to write it, as short as it was. The past month has been pretty busy. As a warning, I start school next week, so get used to there being prolonged periods of time between posting chapters. Be sure to check my profile for updates. You can also find a link to my DeviantArt on my profile, where I have posted ****crappy**** drawings of the young Silver, Ren and Serenity. I plan on doing other crew members eventually. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! The next one is coming when I get more time to write…)**


	7. Benbow

Chapter Seven - Benbow

After breakfast, they went back to the docks. "The people here seem friendly," Serenity said. "I'm sure it won't take us long to buy a passage."

They found and approached a willing-looking shipman. When he looked up from his work, Serenity gave him a cheerful smile. "Good morning!" The man tipped back his hat and returned a friendly grin. "That it is," he said. "And it seems it is going to be better still." He wiped grease off his hands onto a rag. "What can I do for you?"

"We are looking for a captain who might be willing to let us pay for passage to one of these neighboring planets," said Silver. "Do ye offer these services?"

"Aye," the man said with a nod. "We accept fee to ferry to all these parts. In fact that is our business!"

"Oh, wonderful!" Serenity clasped her hands together in joy.

"Indeed! Now, where were you looking to go?"

"Viridis Vida."

There was a blank look on the man's face. Then he quickly turned pale. He turned his eyes to his work bench and gathered his things with shaky hands. "Can't do it," he muttered. "No... no, just can't… completely full for the next voyage, totally full… so sorry, can't do it." He got all his things in hand and hurried up the gangplank.

"Hey, wait!" Serenity called. But he was gone. She frowned. "Well _that_ was rude!"

"Yeah, I know. I thought ye said the people here were friendly?" John teased.

"I said they _seemed_ friendly. But apparently things aren't what they seem."

Six hours later they still did not have a ride to Viridis Vida. They continually ran into people who gave them the same or similar responses as the first man. They eventually stopped to have some lunch at a small eatery close to the docks. Though there was inside seating, they chose to sit at a small table outside. There was a small wooden fence encasing the tables in front of the restaurant. It was bordered with colorful flowers and nearby there was a man leaning on it, smoking. Besides ordering their food, neither had said a word.

_These people are all spooked o'bout that planet_, John thought to himself. _Everyt'ing went well 'til we mentioned it. Then, every time, people would suddenly find that their boat was full or broken or some such nonsense. _He took a gulp of his water. _After a while no one would even talk to us. They would run and avoid us as soon as we made eye contact with them. At this rate, we'll never get to Viridis._

Serenity slammed her cup on the table, spilling most of the water that was in it. "I don't understand!" she exclaimed, oblivious to the bewildered looks on the faces of those sitting at tables near them. "We were pleasant and courteous, always made it known that we were going to pay. It's just a planet! Why won't anyone take us?"

Of course, they had no answer. Silver looked down into his water cup, swirling its contents. Serenity leaned on the table, head in her hand, and let out an exasperated sigh.

"It's haunted," the man said. They jumped. Serenity cursed loudly. In her haste to grab her boot dagger, she managed to hit her healing knuckles on the table. While she dealt with her hand, Silver eyed the man that had been smoking on the fence nearby. He had apparently been eavesdropping. He was at least fifty, tall with a slightly protruding belly. He was dressed in a long, dirty and tattered black trench coat. He had several gold and silver earrings in each ear and a tattoo on the back of his neck that said "…Quod nex vadum victum totas" on top of a thorny, black rose. He had blue eyes that shone like charms on his dirty and unshaven face.

"What's this ye're sayin'?" Silver asked.

"The people. They believe the place to be haunted." His breath reeked of old tobacco.

"And why would they believe such utter nonsense?" Serenity asked sourly, glaring at the man.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You must not be from these parts. You do know that Viridis Vida is completely uninhabited?"

Serenity's eyebrows snapped together in a frown. "Uninhabited? Completely? There's _nobody_ living there at all?"

The man shrugged. "I'm sure several more ignorant people have ventured there and stayed. I do not know of any, myself."

"But why?"

"Ever heard of Captain Flint, sweetheart?"

Serenity scoffed at the nickname. John kicked her under the table to keep her from saying anything, which, in return, got him a glare that could tarnish silver. None-the-less, she swallowed whatever response she had and instead said, "Of course I have. I wasn't born this morning."

"Could have fooled me." He grinned. His teeth were stained brown from a lifetime of smoking and several were chipped, probably in fights. If he noticed that the large Ursid to his left had now kicked his female companion twice, he didn't give it off. "Captain Flint destroyed Viridis, killing everyone and taking everything of value-"

"I _know_ this," Serenity interrupted. "But why has no one gone back?"

"Cool those pretty sails of yours for a minute and give me the chance to tell you!" he said, eying her over. She moved her leg in time to avoid a third kick from John. Though she kept her mouth shut, she continued to eye the man with dislike. When the man was sure he wasn't going to be interrupted again, he continued: "You see, before Flint came to Viridis, no one in this part of the galaxy had ever heard of him. Viridis was the first planet to ever be taken by him in this area of the galaxy. When all the neighboring planets got the news from Befeldar that they were hosting the only remaining survivors, the people spooked. They began to call the place cursed. Ships stopped sailing there. They stopped speaking its name. That's why people started to avoid you. The ones you talked to started to spread ahead where you're wanting to go, as a warning to fellow shipmen. Only the ignorant and the insane go there now."

John rubbed his chin, thoughtful. "Ye strike me as an insane person," he said casually.

"That I am."

Silver leaned forward, talking quieter. "Does that mean ye can provide us with passage to Viridis Vida?"

He shrugged. "Yes and no. I can provide you with transport to Montressor, where I will introduce you to my ranking captain. _He_ can provide you with passage to Viridis Vida." He took out another cigarette from a pocket inside his trench coat and lit it. He put it to his lips, drew in a long breath and exhaled, slowly.

"How much?"

"Depends on the currency."

"Common."

He thought for a moment, blowing smoke rings. "I'd say thirty-five. Each."

Serenity issued a low moan, very similar to a growl. She looked at Silver. "Give us a moment and we'll discuss it," she said to the man.

He cocked his head. "Discussion? Why would you need to have a discussion?"

"Because you look like a pedophile," Serenity retorted. The man grinned. He reached over the fence to grab a breadstick then walked a short distance away, still within sight, but out of hearing range.

Serenity drummed her fingers on the table. "I don't like it. I don't like _him_."

John scratched idly at his beard. "Ye have to admit, he's a smart businessman. He knows we're not goin' to find another offer."

"And that's why the price is so high. I know." She sighed. "Still, I don't trust him. If we do this, I want him to know as little about us as possible. He seems like the type to jump at any chance to become more wealthy."

"Isn't that normal? To take hold of an opportunity to become wealthier?"

"Unfortunately." She shook her head. "But many times the want of money turns people into greedy, selfish beings with unhealthy obsessions. I can only imagine what might happen if he found out what we have." She rested her hand on her belt pouch, feeling the curve of the map which lay inside.

John didn't say anything. He wasn't sure that he understood how pursuing wealth was unhealthy. _After all_, he thought, _it's normal to want money. We need it if we're to survive in this world. So wouldn't then the pursuit of money be both normal and healthy?_ It was certainly something to ponder later.

"Well," Serenity said, "let's finish eating before we agree. If we call him back now, he'll probably steal more of our food."

* * *

Two days later found themselves landing on a small dock somewhere on the nearby planet Montressor. The man, who eventually had introduced himself as Max, pointed towards a path that lead northwest. "That way will take you to a small inn where you can rest and eat."

"Ye're not going with us?" Silver asked.

"Alas," Max said, "my captain does not directly do business with passengers, and so I must leave you for a time."

"What a pity," Serenity muttered. John elbowed her lightly, hiding a grin.

Max continued: "I will find out how much he wants for his services and return to you here in a day or two."

John nodded. "So long." He proceeded to shove Serenity down the path before she could say any witty or sarcastic goodbye.

"I don't get to wish him an unpleasant journey?" she asked.

"I t'ink ye've harassed him enough, don't ye?"

"Not remotely."

They laughed. Things had gotten a little easier between them, Silver had noticed. It was still kind of weird for him to look at Ren every once in a while and find a girl, but he found it easier and easier to accept with each passing day. She was still the same person, with the same personality, the same line of thinking, and the same witty remarks. She was Ren through and through; he just knew she was a girl now.

They walked the path for about five minutes. Then the path cleared the woods and opened up to show a small inn set on a hill. There were woods on one side of the inn, and on the other side was the top of a cliff. Just south of the inn down another path was a large public dock and a small private one, both of which were hosting boats. As they got closer, they were able to read the sign outside the building:

**The Benbow Inn**

And below it, on a piece of wood that hung on a couple of hinges:

**Vacancy**

"I hope they're not expensive," Serenity remarked idly. "I have money on me, but not a fortune. We may not be able to afford staying here for a couple of nights _and_ paying whatever Max's captain wants for his services."

"Well, maybe we can work something out with the inn keeper?"

"Hmm. Maybe." They continued up the path and entered the inn.

The room they found themselves in was obviously the lobby, though there were also several tables scattered throughout the room. A handful of people were seated at these tables, eating. As Serenity and John took in their surroundings, a door on the opposite side of the room swung open. The girl was in her mid-teens, with brown hair and light skin. She had a small, upturned nose set between brown eyes that betrayed the girl to be bored. Resting on her hand and one of her shoulders was a large tray laden with food. She wore a lavender skirt and a long sleeve white shirt that sported a number of stains, most of which were hidden under a pink full body apron. She took a few steps before she noticed there were new guests standing at the doorway. Turning around, she propped the kitchen door open with her foot. "DAD!" she yelled. "We got more!" Then, without waiting for a response, she proceeded to an occupied table and began to dish out the meals. As she left the table to begin clearing and cleaning another, the kitchen door opened again.

The large man had obviously been cooking. He wore a white apron that had a good helping more of stains than the girl's and wore a large, white hat on his head to keep his hair from falling into his cooking. He spotted Silver and Serenity and walked over to them, wiping his hands off on his apron. "Welcome to the Benbow," he said cheerfully. "What can I do for you?"

Serenity spoke: "We need a place to stay for a night, possibly two."

"Then you've certainly come to the right place. We charge twenty a night, per room; that includes meals."

Serenity sighed and looked at John. "I was afraid of that. One night for the two of us is forty. That's almost half of what I have left. If it takes Max more than one day to get here, I doubt we'll have enough money to pay for the trip."

John frowned thoughtfully and looked at the man, who was patiently waiting. "Is there any way we might be able to make a deal with ye? Serenity and I are low on funds and we have a very important trip we need to make that we've yet to pay for. Perhaps there might be some help ye need around the inn that we can help ye with in exchange for a lower price?"

The man scratched his beard. "Come to think of it, we are a little short handed with my wife gone to her mother's for the week. And there is a leak in the roof that needs fixing. I suppose I can use your help. And in exchange I'll half the price."

Serenity nodded her approval. "And I suppose we can stay in the same room, instead of splitting up. That will save us more money as well." She smiled at the man. "We'll take one room for the night, preferably one with a large bed." She opened her belt purse and pulled out ten dollars, which she handed to the man. He took it and the money disappeared in an apron pocket.

"Good!" he said with a smile. "I'll have my daughter show you to a room. If you're hungry, go ahead and come back down for some food. After that we'll get started on your work." He walked over to the young waitress and spoke with her. Then he went back into the kitchen.

The girl quickly finished cleaning a table. She walked over to them with a smile. "Hello!" She acted a lot more cheerful than she had looked earlier. "I'll show you to your room." They followed her up a set of stairs and to the right, into a long hallway of rooms. She stopped them in front of a door with a number "7" plaque nailed on it. Digging into her apron, she produced a large ring full of keys and opened the door.

John looked around. There was a large bed in one corner, close to a window. There was also a large chest sitting at the foot of the bed. Off to the other side was a wash room, complete with a head, wash basin, clean metal tub, soap and towels.

The girl pointed these things out to them. "It's a good thing you both travel light. Usually this room only hosts one. I don't think that clothing chest would hold two travel packs." If John had been paying attention he'd have noticed that, though the girl seemed to mostly be facing Serenity while talking, her eyes constantly flicked over to him. He looked over in time to see Serenity slightly raise an eyebrow. But before he could ask: "So are you guys from around here?" The girl looked at John when she asked it.

"No," Serenity said, eyes on the girl. "We're from the other side of the galaxy, on the planet of Trey."

"Oh," the girl said quietly. Then she brightened again. "I've heard of Trey. It's a merchant planet, isn't it? I would love to go there and see all the things they have!" She flourished her skirts and stood up straight, protruding her small chest. "I could find myself a beautiful dress made to fit me. Or priceless jewelry or pins for my hair." She scooped a handful of her hair and dumped it onto her head in an attempt to make it look done up. She almost managed to cover the short sidelong glance she gave Silver. Before Silver had even fully process the girl's body language, Serenity bent down to the girl's height, looking her in the eyes. "What is your name, girl?"

The girl looked slightly confused by Serenity's manner. "Sarah," she said. "Sarah Pratchett."

"'Sarah'. Hmm, it's a very pretty name." She cocked her head in curiousity. "How old are you?"

"Fourteen."

"Fourteen, I see." Serenity gave a small nod. "And, tell me Sarah: When did Montressor run out of boys your own age for you to shoot inviting glances at?"

Sarah blinked, caught off guard. "Well… I-er…" She looked anywhere but at Serenity.

Serenity gave a thoughtful "Hmm", then stood up straight and walked over to the bed, dumping her things. John looked back and forth between Serenity and Sarah, not sure about what just happened. When he looked at the girl, he saw Sarah quickly avert her gaze to the floor. Her face turned crimson. She muttered something about calling her for hot bath water and fled the room.

John shook his head and discarded his things onto the bed. "Did ye have to break the poor lass? She's only fourteen."

"Yes, and she'd flirt with an invertebrate, to be certain."

Silver touched his hand to his heart, feigning a player's sadness. "Alas, what an insult! For ye to imply that she had no interest in me, but flirts with any living t'ing that crawls through the galaxy!"

Serenity rolled her eyes and threw a pair of socks at him. "Oh, get over yourself," she said with a grin. "Besides, the _last_ thing that girl needs to be doing is flirting with a pirate."

"She doesn't know I'm a pirate."

"Thank heavens. If she did, she'd probably tell her father and then we'd be kicked out of this lovely inn and I'd have to sleep out in the open instead of on this comfy looking bed."

Silver laughed. He threw the pair of socks back at her. "Besides," he said, "I thought ye said I wasn't a pirate?"

"You're not," Serenity said. "Not really, anyway. It's your job, but it's not you. Does that make any sense?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"Well, it's what you do for a living, for a job, but it's not who you are in your heart." She looked him in the eyes. "I've said it before and I'll continue to do so: You're a caring person, John. That's what sets you apart. You consider more than just your own wants: you consider other's needs. Like how you thought of Kerrick when I told you he couldn't come with us. You wouldn't agree until you knew for sure that he was going to be safe."

John blushed slightly and averted his eyes. He hadn't been expecting a serious response to a sarcastic question. When she didn't move, he looked at her again.

And there it was. That weird look. He had seen it once before, when he still knew her as Ren, the night she told of what had happened in her past to her family. What was that look? He couldn't place it. Had he ever noticed before how blue her eyes were? She blinked and looked away, putting her things in the chest. Slowly, Silver did the same. He had some new things to think about.

* * *

Later that evening, John sighed and plopped into a chair next to a table. There hadn't been enough time that day to fix the roof, but there was plenty of time to trim the wood planks in a back shed. Tomorrow he would use those planks to fix the roof. He heard a moan from Serenity, who had been on the other side of the table, laying her head down.

"So how was ye're evenin'?" Silver asked casually. Serenity had been irked that, because she was a girl, she had to stay inside and wash dishes, instead of "doing _real_ work" like Silver.

"You can't tell," she said, still resting her face on the table, "but I am glaring _murderously_ at you."

"Aww, poor girl." He patted her on the head. She made a weak attempt to bat his hand away. Then, with a sigh, she lifted her head and twisted to and fro in her chair, cracking her back and neck. "I think that was the most _boring_ evening of my life," she said. "The only thing I did was wash dishes. Except for one exciting moment where I had to come back in here to help Sarah clear some tables of plates and cups… which I, in turn, brought to the back room to clean."

"Wow, ye're lucky," he said sarcastically. "I had to go outdoors in the warm sun where I got to measure and cut wood and-"

"Shut up."

He grinned. "We're doing it for cheaper room payments, remember?"

"Yeah, I know." She rubbed her face. Then, she got up. "Well, it's been two days since I've taken a bath. I'm going to go change that."

"Alright, I'll be down here until ye let me know ye're done."

He watched her go up the stairs until she vanished behind a corner.

"So, are you two, like, dating or something?"

He looked at Sarah, who was busy mopping the floor nearby.

"Who, Serenity and me?" She nodded. Silver laughed. "No. She's my best friend. I could never date her."

"I don't see how you could be friends with her," Sarah commented. "She seems so rude and bitchy." She spoke that last word with a change in her tone, as if cursing made her look cooler.

"She can be," he said, "but it's usually for a good reason." He looked at the girl. "Ye do realize I'm six years older than ye?"

"And?"

"_And_ ye're still flirting with me. Do ye flirt with every male that comes to stay here?"

She smiled at him. "Only the cute ones."

He shook his head. "Ye better be careful, little girl. Keep up this kind o' game and ye might find yerself being left by a husband ye never took the time to really know."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, _please_. It's just flirting." She continued mopping the floor.

Silver decided not to mention his conversation with Sarah to Serenity as they were crawling into bed that evening. He didn't want to know what Serenity would say to the girl if she found out Sarah had called her bitchy. _And talking about the latter part of our conversation would only get Serenity started on my apparent talent of caring for people,_ he thought. _She would say that my warning to the girl about her behavior making it likely to win her an unfaithful husband is yet another example of how I'm _not_ a pirate._

"Don't snore," Serenity said, pulling the blankets over her head.

"Don't steal all the sheets," Silver retorted. He grabbed the end of the blankets and rolled over, pulling them completely off Serenity.

"Damnit, John!" She kicked him, but he could tell her heart wasn't in it. As they fixed the blankets, he could see by the light reflecting off of Cresentia Spaceport that Serenity was smiling. Eventually they settled down to go to sleep. Silver was thinking about Max and his captain, wondering what they were going to demand in exchange for a ride to Viridis Vida. From there his thoughts flowed to what they were hoping to find there, Flint's map that they had, to the crew they had left behind.

He constantly wondered how Kerrick was doing. It must have been hard for him, learning that his two friends had left without him. Not for the first time, Silver wondered if Kerrick was angry. He wondered if Kerrick would forgive him, if he would understand why Silver and Ren had left him alone with the angry Flint. And Mav'c. Now that Kerrick was alone, he didn't have anyone to keep his back around Mav'c. Who knows if Mav'c had even killed Kerrick by now? It wouldn't have been the first time he tried. He had several times tried to use the "loose life line" technique to dispose of all three of them. How did Kerrick feel, alone on that boat with someone who had been their enemy from day one? He lay a while, reminiscing about his first couple of weeks, when he met Kerrick, Mav'c, Serenity.

Suddenly, forgetting that Serenity was sleeping next to him, he burst out laughing.

"What now?" Serenity moaned. He kept laughing. She poked him. "Hey. What's so funny?"

"Ye," he said between fits of laughter. "Ye… Ye're a _girl_." He was laughing so hard that he found himself wiping tears from his eyes.

Serenity sat up and looked him over, troubled. "Yes. Should I be worried about you, Silver? You've known for days now that I'm a girl. Why are you laughing about it?"

"Because," he said, gasping for air. "Mav'c doesn't know!" He started laughing again.

She frowned for a second, confused. Then, when she realized what he was getting at, she grinned.

"Oh, if only he knew," Silver commented. "Not only did ye beat him quickly, showing ye were much, _much_ better than him, but ye're a girl! It's the perfect prank." He laughed long and hard. Eventually, he was able to calm himself.

"Well, maybe one day I'll tell him," Serenity said. "Until then, can I go to sleep?"

"Yeah, sorry," he said with a chuckle. "Goodnight."

* * *

John awoke the next morning with a yawn. Not wanting to get up yet, he closed his eyes and rolled over, making himself comfortable again. He was about to fall asleep, when he felt a very light breathing on his nose. He opened his eyes again and nearly jumped.

He had forgotten Serenity had slept next to him. Her nose was inches from his. He sighed, about to roll over again, but stopped. He looked at her again. She looked peaceful and content with her face half buried in her pillow and the blankets pulled up past her neck. Her lips were parted slightly. They were pink and soft-looking. Partially covered by her long bangs, her eyes twitched under their lids, like she was dreaming. She really was beautiful. Radiant, even in her sleep. He couldn't take his eyes from her. Almost as if to break the silence, a long lock of her tousled hair gently fell across her face. Silver had the sudden urge to move it. Gently, almost as if in a trance, he lifted his hand and moved it towards her face.

But before he could do anything, her eyebrows twitched. He blinked and quickly put his hand down, closing his eyes while she stirred and woke. Though he fought hard to keep his breath steady and his face relaxed, his heart was racing. _What was _that_ about? _He asked himself. _Just what did I think I was going to do?_ He scolded himself for his unusual behavior.

Serenity laid still for a minute or so. John dared not open his eyes. He heard a soft, almost inaudible sigh. Then, she rolled over and threw the covers off of her, stretching. He laid there while she got dressed and brushed her teeth. He was trying to think of a clever way to "wake up" when she sat down hard on the bed, making it bounce. "Rise and shine, hun!" she spoke clear and crisp. He stirred and rose, thankful for his dark tan that had hopefully hidden his small blush when she had sarcastically called him "hun".

"You've got to make sure you get that roof done today," she said, tightening up her boots and tying them. "If Max comes back today we have to make sure we've paid off our half of the boarding agreement we made with Mr. Pratchett." She left the room, grabbing an apron that had been thrown on the chest. After a few minutes, he stood and got ready for the day, trying his hardest not to think about what had just happened.

* * *

Silver was halfway through fixing the roof when he heard a yell from the ground. He looked around and eventually spotted Max, who waved to him. Standing with him was a gentleman who looked to be in his early sixties. His face was just starting to sag from old age. His thin, white-streaked blonde hair hung about ear length and was covered by a black, wide brimmed hat. He made no indication that he saw Silver, only stood there with his hands in his jacket pockets. Silver waved back to Max. He was about to let him know that he would come down as soon as he finished on the roof, when he heard the back door open. Serenity emerged with a tub of dirty wash water, dumping it in the grass.

"Ren!" he called. She looked up at him. "Max is here. And I t'ink the captain is with him."

She nodded. "Alright," she called. "How close are you to being done with the roof?"

"Only about half way."

"Okay, well you go ahead and finish. I'll greet them and discuss the payment and things and I'll update you when you're done."

"Sounds good," he yelled. "Try not to be too pert, yeah?"

She smiled. "Oh, John," she said mischievously. "When am _I_ ever pert?"

"Every time ye open yer mouth, lady."

She grinned and walked back inside. Silver turned to let Max know she was waiting inside, but didn't see him. _He must have already gone in_, he thought. He hurried to finish the roof.

When he finished, he climbed down the ladder and walked in through the back door. From there he walked into the lobby, greeting Max and the man at the table where they sat with Serenity. Max smiled. Silver and Max had gotten along fairly well on the trip to Montressor. He indicated the older gentleman sitting next to him. "John, this is my captain, Captain Reaver."

"Good afternoon," Silver said with a smile.

Captain Reaver nodded. Now that Silver saw him close up, he could see the wrinkles in the man's face were caused by a lifetime of frowning. Even now he looked sour, sitting silently, with a beer in his hand, constantly glaring at anything he could see. Silver looked at Serenity, who was looking at her own hands, clasped on top of the table. A second glance saw that the skin on her forehead was glistening. _Probably sweat from the house chores,_ he guessed.

"Well," Silver said. "I'm going to go take a bath. I'll-"

"Good! I'll go with you." Serenity nearly leapt out of her chair.

John stopped and looked at her, wondering if she realized what she had just said. Max's eyes were wide with confused amusement. Reaver was still scowling, though he was looking at Serenity.

"Uh, what?" John asked.

"I'll go with you," she said. "You know, to fill you in on what's happening."

He was about to say she could wait until after his bath, when she turned him around and shoved him towards the stairs. He would have protested, but in her rush to get upstairs to the room her hand had half pushed on his back, half on his butt. He momentarily forgot what was happening and let her push him up the stairs.

Finally they reached the room. Serenity pushed him inside and shut the door, locking it.

"What's all this about?" he asked her. "What's got ye on the edge?"

She paced, wringing her hands. "We have to take it," she said, more to herself than to John. "He's the only one around who will ferry us to Viridis and back." Her hands shook. "I have to be calm. I can't give anything away. I can't let him know…"

Silver took her by the shoulders and forced her to sit on the bed. He kneeled to get to her face level. "Serenity, calm down." She still shook. He tried to calm her, using his fingers to move her bangs out of her face, feeling her forehead for fever, refusing to admit to himself that he was also doing it as an excuse to touch her. When he was sure she wasn't getting sick he took his hand from her forehead. "Serenity, look at me. What's wrong?"

She grabbed his hand, holding it tightly. He ignored his heart as it skipped a beat. She looked at him, eyes wide in fear, her hands clammy with sweat.

"Captain Reaver," she said, her voice quiet and quivering. "It's Bennett."

**(Author's note: Well, well. We have the beginnings of a romance, a young, flaunting Sarah and the return of yet another nightmare from Serenity's past. Talking about them in that backwards order, remember that Bennett was the man who helped Serenity learn a lot of neat thieving and group fighting tips, as well as tried to sell her to pay off a debt. As for Sarah.. Yes that **_**is**_** supposed to be James' mother. I mean, think of all that took place there. I know it wasn't a lot of words. She was acting like a slutty guy magnet and Silver completely called that her behavior was going to wind her in a marriage where her husband was going to leave her. I, personally, believe that a lot of relationships go bad because they don't have the right focus. They're too concerned in physical attraction over, say, friendship and morals. So, I believe that Sarah got herself in that situation because of how she was as a teen… Yes, I really am that cynical. And the romance… well, you'll see more of it later, I promise you. But obviously, Silver doesn't really know what's happening to him and what he's feeling. Or if he does, he's not admitting it. Oh, and if you're wondering, the tattoo on Bennett's neck is latin. It says "…and Death shall conquer all." Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :smile: Chapter eight coming when I can manage it!)**


	8. Bennett

Chapter Eight - Bennett

John searched his memories. _Bennett? Who was that, again?_ He knew it was someone from her past, but he couldn't recall who.

"I haven't seen him since I ran away," Serenity said quietly, staring woefully at nothing in particular. "Not since I found out he was going to sell me as someone's sex slave…"

Oh. _Him._

He wasn't sure what to say. What _could_ he say? How do you react to finding out that your closest friend has just had another of her nightmares return to haunt her? Slowly, her hand softened, went limp and dropped from his. She sat there, shivering. John stood up and began to pace angrily. _So, that is the man who tried to _sell_ Serenity, my best friend? Well forget it! I won't be payin' the likes o' him to ferry me anywhere! And I won't allow him to so much as _look_ at Serenity, let alone be on the same boat as her!_ He started to unsheathe his sword.

Serenity lept off the bed. "No! Don't!" She grabbed his sword arm. "John, please, I don't want to start any trouble…"

He looked her full in the face. "Serenity, that man tried to _sell_ ye. He sheltered ye as a child so he could use ye! And there he is downstairs, waitin' for an opportunity to do it again, and ye're going to just walk into it?"

"He… he doesn't know it's me," she replied quietly, not meeting his eyes. "And he won't find out it's me. Besides, we need him to get us to Viridis Vida!"

"I'd rather steal a boat than pay him a copper cent to take us twenty feet! And I _won't_ be letting him take _ye_ anywhere!"

"What other choice do we have?"

"We can find another way!" he yelled.

"Like what?!"

"We could…-" he stopped to think. _What else can we do? There's got to be something else. Anything else! We can think of something else… can't we?_

"John," she said quietly, "believe me, if there was any other way we could do this, and do it efficiently, you have to believe me when I say that I would take it. But… there isn't. This is the only option we have."

"Can't we rent a boat?"

She shook her head. "We don't have the money for it."

"I don't want anything to happen to ye. I don't want him to t'ink he can take advantage of ye again."

"He probably doesn't even know it's me. We have to take it."

Slowly he slid his sword back into the sheath. Alarms were going off inside his head screaming that this was a bad idea. "Alright," he said quietly. "But I'm not takin' any chances. Ye and I are goin' to stay in the same room on his boat, like we have here. And I won't be lettin' ye out o' my sight."

"I admit that will make me feel safer… I don't want to imagine what he might do if he found out who I am." She let go of Silver's arm and wrapped her own around herself.

"Also," he said, "we'll be sure they know that, though they're ferryin' us, they do not get to join us where we go. They will wait for us to do what we need to do and we'll come back and they'll take us back here."

She nodded.

* * *

A little bit later, John sat down at the table, across from Bennett and Max. He had gotten Serenity calm enough that she could sit at the table without acting strange. She took the seat next to him. Max smiled. "Well?"

"We'll take your price," Serenity said. "However, as the guests we have our rights for privacy."

Max raised his eye brows. Bennett kept his glaring eyes on Serenity. "Go on," Max said.

"We are going to share a room on yer boat," John said. "And when we get to Viridis, Serenity and I do what we need to do _alone_."

Serenity nodded her agreement. "We have agreed on your named price for a trip to and from, but when we land John and I are doing our task by ourselves. You will wait for us in the spot that we land and we will return to you when we are done."

"And how long will this _task_ take you, then?" Captain Reaver's voice was raspy and deep. John thought he heard a slight wheeze in the old man's voice. His question was voiced to Serenity, who watched him with her calm, level eyes. She lifted her chin slightly.

"Depends on how close you land to our target city: Clementia." He and Serenity had agreed before they had come back downstairs that they shouldn't go directly to her home city of Salemdale. For one, they wanted to get a little further away from Reaver's ship before they looked for her money. They also didn't want to give him another clue to who Serenity was, since she couldn't remember if Bennett knew where she was from.

Reaver's eye brows twitched. Serenity held her gaze. "Clementia, Clementia," he muttered to himself.

Max drew out a roll of parchment from inside one of the many inside pockets of his long trench coat. He rolled off the rubber band and flicked through the corners until he found the one he wanted. He pulled it out, revealing it to be a map, not of the whole planet, but of a particular continent. He searched with his finger. "Ah, here it is!" he exclaimed. "The city of Clementia. It is on the continent of Meridianus Arx." He looked around a little more. "Right next to the city of Salemdale."

If he hadn't already been aware of the state of Serenity's nerves, John wouldn't have notice her stiffen at the mention of her city. Though she continued to keep a calm posture, he saw her clench her hand under the table. He had the urge to reach his hand over and take hers; to calm her and reassure her. But he wasn't close enough to her to do it without it being noticed.

Bennett didn't as much as blink. "I know where Salemdale is," he replied. "Travel to that area of the planet should be about four days."

Serenity nodded. She looked from Bennett to Max to John. "Is there anything we have yet to discuss?"

"Yes." Reaver leaned forward, showing interest in something for the first time that evening. "As far as the payment goes I require it in advance. I have been…" He paused. "…_gypped…_ in the past. I do not allow for the possibility of similar situations." He looked expectantly at Serenity, who gulped silently. When John saw that she was trying to keep herself calm, he spoke up:

"We, too, have been made fool of in the past," he said. "How o'bout we pay ye half when we board the boat as payment for the ride to the planet, and then give ye the other half after we've completed our task and are once again on board and on our way back here to Montressor."

Bennett kept his eyes on Serenity for a few seconds then looked at John. "Done," he agreed.

* * *

That night in bed, Serenity turned for what had to be the hundredth time. She listened to John snoring lightly beside her. She felt hot and stuck a foot out from under the blankets. But after a while she was freezing and drew it back under. It had been like that ever since they went to bed that night on the _Foul Wind, _Bennett's ship. She couldn't get comfortable; she couldn't sleep. She couldn't shake the feeling that any moment Bennett was going to crash inside the room and attack her.

_Stop worrying_, she commanded herself. _You have no reason to believe that he knows who you are._

_Except that he knows my name _and_ that we're going near Salemdale, where I used to live. How many "Serenity"s came from there? _She had only ever heard of one: herself_. No, he knows exactly who I am. He _always_ knew who I was. That's why he was so kind and sheltered me so long ago. That's how he knew he could get such a high price for selling me. He knew who I was. He knew I would be worth a lot to the right crowd. _She sighed, turning once more. _I really should have listened to John. We never should have agreed to this. I was just so intent on not having to use any _piracy_ to get to Viridis Vida._

_Well, it's too late now,_ she scolded herself_. Now you have to deal with it. And you better damn well hope Bennett doesn't know it's you, because if he does, he's going to try to get at you blow for blow, eye for eye. _She opened her eyes, which were in no way tired, and looked at Silver. _I wonder if I should tell him… No, let him sleep. And I don't want him to lose confidence in me or question if I know what I'm doing. I _don't_ know what I'm doing… but he doesn't need to know that._

She gave up on sleep. Very carefully, she lifted the covers and sat up. She had slept in her clothes that night, leaving them on to be ready for any late night intrusions. Quietly, she pulled on and laced her boots. She rummaged through her bag and took out a thin, black ribbon and used it to tie her damp, sweaty hair back in a pony tail. Then she got up and opened the door to the deck. She opened it just enough to see if Bennett was outside. When she didn't see him, she stepped out and closed the door behind her. She saw Max a little further down to the fore of the ship. He spotted her and nodded. She nodded in return then walked to the aft of the deck.

She felt the cool breeze on her face and her long bangs tickled her cheeks. She closed her eyes and breathed in long and deep, then let it out slowly, letting the fresh air calm her and clear her mind. She opened her eyes again and admired the Etherium. In front of her, growing slightly smaller as time went by was Montressor. She couldn't make out any features on the planet anymore other than where there was land and water and where there were large storms or clouds. She shivered. Though she was feeling calmer, she still felt like there was someone looming over her shoulder. _Stop fussing_, she told herself. _If he was going to attack me, he'd have done it by now. He was always terrible at holding his temper. Besides, he is old and probably out of shape. I'm older now and I know how to defend myself. _But calm her self as she might, she still couldn't shake that creepy feeling. That he was there, constantly, watching her. A shiver crept up her spine; she rubbed her arm anxiously.

"Cold?"

She flung around quick as lightning, unsheathing her sword and holding it out in front of her. Bennett stood there, looking down the end of her sword which was very close to resting on the tip of his nose. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her, then calmly took a puff from the pipe that was in his mouth.

"C-captain!" Serenity blurted out, feeling like a fool. _Is there any _worse_ way I could have shown him that I'm scared past my wit's end?_ She gathered her calm and lowered her sword, sheathing it. She gave a polite smile. "You gave me quite a fright, sir."

"So I noticed," he said. His glare wasn't as over powering as it had seemed earlier that evening. In fact, he wasn't glaring at all right now. Though she did want to know if he _ever_ blinked. He took another puff. "Tell me, Miss Serenity: Are you having second thoughts about going to Viridis Vida?"

She frowned. _Why on _earth_ would he ask such a thing?_ "No, sir, not at all. Why do you ask?" The cool air suddenly began to feel chilly; she was starting to sweat.

He shrugged and took a few steps forward to stand next to her at the railing. "Well, you're standing back here while your lover sleeps. You seem to be watching Montressor go further and further away. And, perhaps, your shivering earlier was not due to the cold air?" He looked at her through the corner of his eyes and she averted his gaze.

"Nonsense," she said, not sure if she was fully masking the quiver in her voice. He was making such strange remarks! She was beginning to feel frightened. It was almost as if he was interrogating her, prodding her emotions and testing her. Then she blushed. "And John is not my lover."

"Oh? You sleep in the same bed and take baths together."

She let out a nervous laugh. John had told her about her strange comments back at the Benbow when she had accidentally made it seem like she was going upstairs to take a bath with him. "Oh, no, I don't take baths with him. I didn't mean that quite how it came across back at the inn. I was simply going to accompany him upstairs to fill him in on the things you and I had already discussed." Why was he talking about this? Just as she was starting to feel even more uncomfortable, he changed the subject:

"Well, in any case, I wouldn't be surprised if you were having second thoughts. Everyone we ferry does. Every time we take someone to this planet, I find them here at this railing late in the night, looking back on Montressor. Not many people are truly comfortable with going to Viridis Vida. It is, after all, cursed."

Serenity gave an honest chuckle. "Don't tell me you believe that curse tom-foolery, captain."

He turned and looked at her, holding his pipe barely half an inch from his lips. "Well, of course I do. Ain't no one has come back from this planet after it's decimation that hasn't experienced a run of bad luck."

Serenity raised her eyebrows. "My dear captain, bad things happen to _everyone_. Surely you don't mean to imply that if a few bad things were to happen to me after this trip it was because I traveled to this planet?"

"Not all of them, necessarily," he said with a shrug, turning back to look at the Etherium. "But there will be something. Something that will sink down into your core and threaten to take control of every emotion, every thought, every memory you can call yours and tear it limb from limb. It is a curse that recognizes the things most important from you… and seizes them from your grasp."

Serenity faced the Etherium, trying her best to stay calm. It wasn't the curse he had described that had scared her; it was the way he had described it. His voice was quiet with loathing, bitterness and anger. His wrinkling hand turned white from the grip he had on his pipe. The usual glare that had been absent moments ago was visible again. She had to force herself not to lose her composure from the anxiety. She cleared her throat.

"You speak as though from experience." She regretted it as soon as she said it. _First I let him know I'm nervous by jumping out of my skin when he talks to me, and now I leave open a clear road for him to talk about his past. I'm _such_ a genius…_ There was such a long silence that Serenity half hoped that he hadn't heard her, or perhaps had chosen not to reply. Then:

"Experience is definitely the main source of the knowledge I have on the reality of this curse," he said quietly. Serenity shifted her body weight so she was leaning away from Bennett. "I used to live on Viridis Vida," he said. "In the city of Salemdale." Serenity paused. Had she known that? She hadn't. He had never once told her they were from the same town, even though she had told him where she was from, all those years ago. Then it dawned on her. _I kept saying it was like he always knew who I was. He did. He lived in my city; he would have known exactly who I was. I wouldn't have known him… but he would have definitely known me. And when he found me on Montressor, he knew that he could make a lot of money if he sold me to people who cared who I really was: the sole survivor of my family. _She realized Bennett was still talking: "… shortly after I came back. All of it. Robbed me of every valuable I had left, the little chit. After everything I had done for her." Serenity was thankful for her long bangs that make it hard for Bennett to see her worried eyes.

"I'm terribly sorry," she managed to say.

He took a long and determined puff from his pipe. "I wish I could find her. See her again, just once. If ever I did…" His voice trailed off in frustration. Then he sighed, hung his head and relaxed. "Ah, listen to me. Rambling on about a hopeless fantasy. I shouldn't be speaking of such matters to you."

Serenity let out a strangled laugh, but felt a knot loosen in her back. She had no interest in knowing any of the ideas he might have concocted over the years about what he would do to her if ever he saw her again.

"However, I do—"

"Serenity, there ye are."

Relief flushed through Ren as her and Bennett turned to see Silver walking towards them.

"John," she said casually. "What are you doing up?"

"I should be askin' ye the same question."

"Oh, I couldn't sleep. Decided to come outside for some fresh air and was honored with the company of our captain."

She glanced at Bennett and saw that he was scowling like he had been back at the inn. She frowned, confused by his sudden change in mood. Then she looked back at Silver with pleading eyes. He understood.

"Well are ye feelin' better? Do ye think ye're ready to come back to bed?"

"Yes, I think I am. I should try, in any case." She turned to the captain. "Have a good night, captain."

He grunted and turned around to lean on the railing again. Serenity walked briskly to Silver, who took her by the arm and lead her back to their room.

When they were back inside, Serenity sat down on the bed with her knees together and her arms wrapped around herself. Silver shut the door and turned around to glare at her. "Are ye mad?" he whispered hotly. "I thought we agreed that ye wouldn't be leavin' my sight while he's around. Are ye even listenin' to me?"

A closer look told him that she wasn't. She was sitting there, hunched over, shivering, with wide and worried eyes. Silver bit his lip. _He must have said something to shock her if she's this much out of her calm._ He decided to berate her later. Instead, he walked over and sat down next to her. "Serenity, what happened? What did he say?" She was silent for so long that he thought to ask her again. But she spoke up:

"He surprised me," she said, her voice quiet and shaking. "I couldn't sleep. Went up deck to get some air. I nearly killed him when he spoke up behind me. He kept trying to find out if I was regretting going to Viridis Vida. Asking if I was nervous because of the curse. I told him 'no' cause the curse isn't real, just something created by a group of nervous people to scare their children. He insisted that it was real and I made the mistake of implying that he seemed to have experience in the area. He… he talked about what had happened; what I did to him all those years ago." She gulped. "He seemed to get caught up in the memory, because he almost started talking about what he would do to me if he ever got the chance to see me again. But he stopped and calmed himself down." She hung her head and shuddered. Silver gently rubbed her back to try and calm her. She looked at him. "But that's good isn't it?" she asked. "He is still extremely angry with me for what I did. So, if he knew who I am, he would have done something, wouldn't he?"

"Unless he's tryin' to trick ye," he pointed out.

Serenity shook her head. "Bennett could never control his emotions. It's why he was always in so much trouble and so much debt. No, he doesn't know who I am. He would have attacked me already, otherwise." She said that last part more to herself than to John. He wasn't so sure, but then again he didn't know Bennett as well as Serenity did. They sat there for several minutes, Serenity hunched on the bed and Silver rubbing her back. Eventually she stopped shivering. After she was calm for a few minutes John noticed her eyelids starting to close. "T'ink ye can go to sleep?" he asked.

She nodded and began to take off her boots. He patted her on the back and walked around to the other side of the bed, lying down under the covers. Serenity lay down next to him. He stayed awake until he thought she was asleep. _We never should have come_, he thought to himself. _I don't trust Bennett. It's almost like he was tryin' to _make_ her nervous by talkin' to her. Even if Serenity doesn't t'ink he knows who she is, I'm going to keep my eyes open. I don't t'ink we can be too careful at the moment._ His thoughts were interrupted by Serenity, who had shifted positions. When she finally settled she was lying on her stomach and her hand was resting against his. John felt a small smile creep to his mouth, but suppressed it. _Why do I always do such stupid t'ings when somet'ing like that happens?_ _Really, am I so desperate for a female that I look at my best friend?_ He sighed his frustration, then fell asleep minutes later. He had never made an effort to move his hand from Serenity's.

* * *

The rest of the trip was uneventful. Serenity stayed away from Bennett, who never made a second attempt to talk to her, and as promised, Silver didn't let Ren out of his sight. Even if she was convinced Bennett didn't know who she was, John wasn't. He constantly felt uneasy and every time he saw the captain he couldn't shake the bad vibes he felt.

But a couple days found Silver and Serenity stepping off _Foul Wind_ into the crisp early morning air in the city of Clementia, just before sunrise. They had reconfirmed with Bennett that he would wait for them in that spot until their return then they set off into the woods. Serenity and John had agreed beforehand to head in the opposite direction of Salemdale then turn around when they were out of sight of those on _Foul Wind_. It would be a slightly longer trip, but they agreed that walking a bit longer was favorable over giving anymore ideas to make Bennett wonder about Serenity's true identity. They walked for a good half hour before they decided they were far enough away and headed towards Salemdale, making sure to skirt Bennett and his crew.

John noticed that being away from Bennett was doing wonders for Ren. She was more and more like her old self through each passing minute. They walked for an hour or so, telling jokes and making fun of some of Bennett's more interesting crew members. Eventually they heard rushing water and made their way towards it. Serenity nodded her approval when they found the river. "This is the River Evermoor," she said, her warm breath coming off as steam in the chilly morning air. She knelt by the bank and splashed some of the freezing water on her face before cupping some in her hands and taking a drink. Silver did the same. As he sipped the freezing water Serenity tapped his shoulder. "We're close," she observed. Then she pointed. "Look over there."

He looked where she had indicated. Off in the distance, on the other side of the river, was a small clearing surrounded by the forest trees. In the clearing were several old wooden tables and benches, some whole and some broken. What looked as though it used to be a picnic area was now mostly consumed by forest plants and wildlife.

"My family used to have picnics here," she explained. They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the rest. At one point John thought he heard Serenity say something and turned to look at her. She was murmuring to herself. Her eyes were looking towards the picnic area, but were unfocused as though she were dazing. It didn't take long for his gaze to pierce through her memories. She glanced at him and then looked away. She quickly proceeded to splash another couple of handfuls of river water onto her face. Silver frowned. Had she been crying? I would be impossible to tell now that she had water all over herself.

When she finished, she sighed and looked at him. "Ready, then?" He nodded. They stood up and continued on their way, using the river as a guide.

They walked in silence. Though Serenity was her normal cheerful self only moments ago, she was now quiet and distracted. After they had walked for about a half hour the trees began to thin out. The first rays of the morning's light had begun to brighten the area. Silver noticed a clearing in the distance and the remains of what used to be a huge building. While he was observing it he noticed that Serenity had stopped walking. He turned around and looked at her. She was standing as though fixed to the ground, hands clenched and jaw set. John walked back to her and placed one of his big hands on her shoulder. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then, they walked forward once more.

When they reached the edge of the clearing Silver saw in front of him what was left of Serenity's home. Most of the frame had been made of stone and was, for the most part, still standing. Eight years of weather and nature had seen parts of the stone structure cave or corrode. Silver didn't say anything, but he wanted to whistle. The castle had been huge. There were several floors and three small towers, all partially destroyed stone tainted with scorch marks. In between them and the ruins was a mostly destroyed wall with the charred remains of a wooden gate. Silver guessed by how small the gate had been that they were probably entering from the backside. The grass in the clearing was knee high and there were a lot of plants and vines growing on the ruins. He kept walking, keeping his hand on Serenity's shoulder to encourage her to do the same.

They stopped when they got inside the gate wall. Over the far left was a patch of ground where grass was over taking the remains of a wooden building that had been completely burned. The small wooden fence surrounding the area, which had been left untouched, told Silver that the building had probably held horses at one point. On the far right was an arching range. He could see arrows still in the targets. There were also what looked to be a tilting field and a large building that had once been both wood and stone. The stone was only partially damaged; the wood was burnt. Silver frowned.

"Archery? Tiltin'? Aren't these practices over hundreds o' years old? My ma used to tell me bedtime stories o'bout this era."

Serenity shook her head gently. "They are hundreds of years old in some parts of the universe: the parts that developed technology very quickly. Viridis Vida, however, was slower at these advancements. In fact, most of the planets around here were like that. People became content where they were, not wanting to conform to modern practices of fighting and life style." She snorted sarcastically. "And now look at where they all are."

John looked around. "At where _who_ are?"

"Exactly."

They walked into one of the back doors of the castle and found themselves in a kitchen. There was broken glass and ceramic all over the floor. Anything that could be burned had been. They spent only a couple minutes there before Silver followed Serenity who seemed to be walking in a certain direction. They visited rooms that used to be libraries, servant quarters, and infirmary, bathing rooms, nurseries and classrooms. All of these had dried blood and skeletons. Everywhere they went they found debris and ruin, broken glass, burnt cloth and wood. The stone walls were marked with both scorch marks and graffiti from the pirates who had been there. Silver tried not to read the comments; he could have sworn that some of the handwriting looked familiar. If Serenity had noticed that most of the graffiti was written with blood, she didn't stop to say anything. She simply continued on, silent. Every once in a while she would pick up something that was familiar to her, dust it slowly with her handkerchief and place it gently in a place where it wouldn't fall or get stepped on. There wasn't much. Everything of value had been stolen.

Eventually they entered a dining area. Silver stopped to admire it while Ren walked into an adjoining room. He looked around. The ceiling was very high above their heads and the walls were covered with mostly burnt tapestries. The large, ornate table had apparently been too big or unimportant to plunder. It had been turned over and left. There were broken chairs still surrounding it and a large metal candle chandelier was on the floor nearby, bent and dented, with candle wax spilt around it. Silver wasn't sure how long he had been there admiring the destroyed furnishings or the paintings on the ceiling when Serenity came back in the room. He looked up at her.

"I… I need to go outside for a while," she said quietly. He nodded his understanding. "You remember how we came in?" she asked.

"Don't worry o'bout me," he responded, "I'll find my way out eventually." She nodded and left. Silver watched her go then took one last look around the room before heading towards the room that Serenity had just come from. However, when he got to the doorway he found himself at the bottom of a circular stairwell, not a room. He began to climb the steps, which were covered with broken glass from the windows in the walls. The climb was a long one. He felt like he had been going up the steps for almost five minutes before he finally reached a landing.

He found himself in a moderately sized circular room that had eight doorways, including the one he was in. They were all large double doors made of strong wood that had apparently been hard to burn, though not for lack of effort. There wasn't much in the center room: just a few broken tables. John started on the right side and entered the doors. Inside was a trashed room with a small bed that had been smashed in. There were burnt toys and dolls everywhere, as well as glass. John stayed in the room only for a few moments. He eventually found a doll like the one he had found at Trey. He left the room quietly without touching it. He proceeded to the next rooms, which were much like the first, only the beds had been bigger and there were no toys cluttered about. He saw signs that told him he had been in a teen-aged girl's room, then a boy's. The fourth room had been a master bedroom. There was blood in this room, though he didn't see any bodies. This room was bigger than the previous ones, with a yet larger bed that had been destroyed along with the other furniture in the room. Eventually he moved on again, coming across another male room and another female room. Both of these had things lying about that showed its original occupants had been young adults: trinkets and keepsakes, as opposed to toys, that were of no value of pirates and so had been left behind. Finally, he left the sixth room and walked into the seventh; the last room. As soon as he walked in he felt like there was something different about this room. There were a few toys, but not many. There was a small collection of trinkets that were set upon a damaged, but upright, table. The bed was neatly set in its broken frame. The empty wardrobe was set up with its broken doors leaning against it. Though the room had obviously been destroyed and ransacked, someone had neatened things. He walked over to the table and picked up one of the trinkets on it: a ponytail of hair. It was a very light brown and curly. The end that had been cut had been done so jaggedly, probably with a knife as opposed to scissors. It was stiff after having spent so long in one spot.

As Silver was standing there looking at the lock of hair, something outside the window caught his eye. He set the hair down and walked to the wall to get a better look. He was looking at the front side of the castle yard now, with the same wall in the distance with a much larger burnt gate. Somewhere in the field Serenity was solemnly at work spreading out a pile of bones. Silver took one last look around the room and left to go outside. He only made one stop when he stumbled upon where the great hall used to be. He was distracted by its hint of old beauty only for a few moments before he remembered that he was supposed to be outside with Serenity.

Serenity looked up from her work when he was near. They looked at each other for a while. Her face was red and damp from tears. Without a word, they started arranging the bones together. The afternoon sun was high in the air before they finished. But before them lay the fruit of their labors: the seven skeletons of her parents and siblings. The only skeleton whose identity he could guess was that of Aerani's, because the skeleton was that of a small child. The rest were indistinguishable to him. They stood there for a long time. Silver once again placed a comforting hand on Serenity's shoulder. He had felt extremely awkward, standing there while she gazed upon the dead remains of her family. But he knew she appreciated his presence when her body relaxed under his palm. She looked at him and gave a sad smile. After a few more minutes she walked forward and knelt at each skeleton. She took from each of them the right hand ring finger. Very gingerly, she wrapped each of them in her handkerchief and placed them in her pack. Then she stood and rejoined Silver where he was.

"Well," she said, her voice raspy. She cleared her throat. "We should probably go find that stash." He started to reach out to hug her, but stopped himself, embarrassed. _Ye want to hug her now, do ye?_ He asked himself. _And what's after that? Kisses? She's yer comrade, not yer lover!_ He blushed at the though.

Ren didn't notice. She just turned and walked towards the front gate, following the wall on the outside. As they walked, she stayed next to the wall, running her hand along it. They walked for several minutes. Then, she stopped. She lightly rubbed one of the stones, feeling it and the stones around it. Then she searched the wall until she found a deep groove in one of the nearby stones. The crevice was big enough for her to put both of her hands in. "Help me, will you?" she asked as she pulled on the stone with all her strength.

Confused, he came over and helped. He placed his hands in the large groove and pulled. He felt like he was pulling in vain but soon he heard the creaks and groans as the long-unused stone door began to roll to the side. John's excitement built up. _What an odd place t' stash treasure!_ he thought. _No wonder Flint didn't get all o' her family's stash; who'd have thought t' check the stone walls?_ He put all his strength into rolling the stone, which was really a single, large slab disguised as several stone bricks. Serenity grinned. "Here we are," she said. He eagerly looked inside to see what his eyes might behold. But his eagerness quickly faded.

"Shovels?" he asked, disappointed.

"Yep!" she exclaimed. She grabbed two of them, handing him one. "You didn't think it would be _that_ easy, did you?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You call that 'easy'?"

"Easy to find, yes."

He looked around. "So where do we go now, then?"

She leaned on her shovel. "Well, where does it seem likely?"

"I don't know. We have these shovels so we're obviously going to have to go somewhere and use them."

"Well, you're half right." She smiled. "It was actually a very common practice to have a hidden door in your city's wall, to hide things. But because it was so common, we did not want to place our emergency stash in it. So, my parents decided to hide it elsewhere, underground, and put the shovels in the wall. That way, if anyone were to get as far as finding the shovels, they would take them and go off in search of the treasure. But the trick," she said, lifting the shovel and driving it into the ground at her feet, "the trick was that they didn't actually have to go anywhere. They went off in fruitless searches for something that was right under their feet."

John thought about this and nodded his admiration. Then he helped Serenity dig. They didn't have to go too far down. They were at a foot and a half when Silver's shovel struck wood. He looked up at Serenity, who smiled broadly at him. He couldn't tell if the excited shiver he felt was from the prospect of buried treasure or the way Serenity had smiled at him. Or both. Once they got the proper depth, they dug out until they had completely uncovered the doors. There were two of them, made of wood, with large metal rings for the handles. They both had to pull on the handles to get the doors to open. When they were finally open, Silver saw large steps leading down into a dark cellar. Serenity reached over to her bag and pulled out some flint and steel. She walked down a couple steps and struck the two items together a couple times, creating sparks. Eventually the torch in the wall lit. She put the flint and steel in her belt pouch and took the torch off the wall. Then, she descended a few more steps into the cellar. Silver hurried down to follow her.

John wondered how his jaw never hit the floor, he opened it so wide. The cellar was huge. All around him were goblets, plates, silverware, jewelry, gems, swords and other weapons, ornate clothing for both males and females, even a few small pieces of furniture. There were vast amounts of each item, particularly the jewelry, and each came in yellow and white gold, silver and bronze. The weapons, jewelry, clothing and furniture had all kinds of different gems embedded within them, from diamonds and pearls, to rubies, alexandrite, emeralds and many more that he recognized but couldn't name. After a second look around, he saw the goblets also had gems on them. A lot of the goblets, plates and jewelry had been imprinted with a coat of arms: a tilted shield with a purple field and a black embattled border. Horizontally across the center was a yellow fess and above it a raven, wings outspread, holding a gavel. The shield was leaning on what looked like a column with a snake wrapped around it, and resting on top of the shield was a crown. Above all of it was a purple ribbon with the script "Validus Pugnus" and below the shield was another ribbon that read "Evermoor". Silver admired the crest. He knew that each color and object had a meaning. Aside from that, he did not know enough about the medieval era to know what the crest was supposed to tell him. He was going to ask, but noticed a large pile of old coins near him that he had never seen before. He picked up a handful and examined those instead. "A mountain o' treasure beneath his feet," he murmured, "and Flint hadn't a clue! Serenity! How much is all o' this worth? We could buy ourselves an entire fleet if we wanted to!"

"Any one piece could be worth thousands to the right person, I'm sure," she said.

He looked up. "T'ousands?" She nodded idly, tracing her fingers along the crest imprinted on one of the goblets. Then she looked at him and the coins in his hands. "And those are Mooric pieces," she said, indicating the coins. "It was the common currency in both Meridianus Arx and Altus Arx. You're holding about…" She paused, adding up the coins in his hands. "…three hundred and seventy-one Mooric pence. Equivalent to approximately one hundred and forty in common currency." Silver looked at the handful of coins in his palm. It was a small handful but it was a fortune! Serenity continued: "They'll probably sell for _much_ more than that, however, since these are probably the only coins left that aren't in Flint's possession."

Silver shook his head in amazement. Such luck! Why should they even bother trying to steal Flint's stash? He saw plenty here to keep him content in life. They could just sell all this stuff and find a nice big place to live where—a coin hit him in the temple. He looked up at Serenity.

She shook her head. "No. I've been with pirates long enough to know that look, which you're not even hiding well. Remember that I'm not doing this for Flint's money I'm doing it to seek vengeance. And the only way you'll get to keep _any_ of this is with my permission." He raised an eyebrow. _She's good,_ he thought. But, she was right. He was doing this to get rich, yes, but also to help his best friend finally achieve her revenge. "Alright," he said, humbled.

"Good. Now, we're not taking all of this. Obviously, it would be _very_ conspicuous if we came back to Bennett with twenty times more than what we left with. And I don't need him getting more interested in what we're doing. We're going to sell those coins to get a proper ship and crew," she nodded again at the Mooric pieces John was holding. "Then, once we have our own ship, we can come back anytime and get more things when we need to. But I want to save these things with the family crest on them to only sell if we absolutely need to."

John nodded and began to gather up the coins while Serenity went up the stairs to get her bag.

* * *

Serenity very quietly removed the pack from her back and set it on the bed. John did the same and sat down with a sigh of relief. It had taken a lot of effort to walk back onto _Fowl Wind_ and pretend that their bags were as light as they had originally been. The coins, which were made of gold, were _very_ heavy. None of the crew seemed to suspect, however. And Bennett hadn't even been outside to see them arrive, which didn't bother either of them. As Serenity stretched and lay out across the bed, Silver withdrew one of the wrapped cloths from his bag. Unfolding it, he allowed the few coins within to roll onto his palm where he inspected them further. There were five different coins. The biggest of them was about an inch and a half in diameter. Following it was another coin about an inch in diameter. Two were the same size, just bigger than half an inch, but one of them had a large hole in the center of it, causing it to resemble a flat ring. The last didn't even resemble John's idea of a coin. It was more like a thin, inch long, golden worm, as though someone had melted gold and ran it through a small tube or drinking straw. The coins had markings in a script that he didn't understand or recognize and they all had signs of age: dings or scratches. The gold itself was very dull and rustic.

"So what are the value o' these?" he asked curiously.

Serenity lifted her head to look at him. She reached over and pulled a cloth of coins out of her bag and dispensed them on the bed. "The countries of Meridianus Arx and Altus Arx went by a pence currency, as opposed to a dollar." She held up the small cylindrical piece first. "This is the _unus_. It has the value of a single Mooric pence. 'Pence' and 'unus' are interchangeable terms in this currency. These two here…" She indicated the two small coins. She pointed at the ring-like coin. "This is a _quinque_ worth five unus, while this one here is a _viginti_ worth twenty unus." She set those down and pointed at the medium sized coin. "That's a _centum_, valued at one hundred unus, And this…" She lifted the largest coin. "… is a _trinus centum_ which is worth three hundred unus. Doing the mathematics, the trinus centum is worth three centum, which is worth five viginti, which is worth four quinque, which is worth five unus." John studied the coins with his newly gained knowledge. As he did so, Ren continued: "The markings and symbols are written in Arxian, giving the year of each coin, its value and the country motto: _Pondus quod Intentio._ 'Constancy and vigilance'. They were very proud of their unconformity to the modernization of other worlds." She spoke that last sentence with a mixture of pity and remorse.

John looked at her. "Ye tried to show them ot'erwise and they wouldn't listen?"

She laughed. "No. I was too young to try influencing people. But I look back now, with Viridis destroyed, my family gone… and I see now that choosing to remain in the old while the rest of the galaxy moves on without you only sets you up for disappointment, heartbreak and death." She wrapped the coins again, placed them in her bag and went to sleep.

* * *

Four days later, Serenity and Silver gathered their things. Bennett had just re-landed _Foul Wind_ on the public dock by the Benbow Inn on Montressor, and they were both anxious to get off and leave the unease behind. The ride was as uneventful as the first, with no late night conversations between Serenity and Captain Reaver.

"Ye ready?" Silver asked Serenity.

"Y'know, I was actually thinking I might stay." She grinned as he shook his head. "Have you seen my red handkerchief? I can't find it."

He shook his head and looked around. "No, I don't see it anywhere."

"It's alright," she sighed. "I'll just buy another one, it's not that important. Let's get out of here." They gathered their things and left the room.

Silver was quite happy to finally be getting away from Bennett. Serenity wasn't nearly as much fun when she was worrying all the time. But now things would be back to normal. They had all they needed to buy a good ship as well as hire and pay a crew to man it. Soon they would be on their way to Flint's treasure and Ren's revenge.

As they walked towards the ramp, they saw Max. Bennett wasn't anywhere to be seen. They walked over to Max and shook his hand. "Tell yer captain t'anks for the business. He has a beautiful vessel," John told him.

Max nodded. "I shall. I hope everything went well for you, whatever it was."

"It went very well, thank you." Max raised his eyebrows at Serenity, wondering if she had ever been nice to him before.

"It must have. You're in a very pleasant mood."

"Don't get used to it, pedo-boy."

He laughed. They finished their goodbyes and began their descent down the ramp. When they were almost down, one of the crew members yelled across: "Oye! Girlie! Yew forgot yoh 'andkerchief!"

"Oh they found it!" She ran back up while Silver continued down the ramp. He was happy. _And why shouldn't I be?_ He asked himself. _I'm rich, o'bout to own my own ship, run my own crew and gain even _more_ wealth. _He smiled to himself as he stepped off the plank and began walking across the docks to the Benbow. _And I get to share the entire experience with Serenity…_

"_JOHN!_"

He turned around frantically to look at the boat, whose boarding ramp had been pulled in, and saw Serenity being held by a couple crew members. As the ship began to quickly sail away, Bennett came to the railing, an evil smile on his face, and waved farewell.

**((AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry this took SO. LONG. to write. I swear, college gets busier every time I blink. I finally sat down and **_**made**_** myself finish this chapter [which, by the way, was freaking fifteen pages long]. Not a whole lot to really explain in this chapter, though I'm going to point some things out so people don't go all technical on me. The main language I've been using for different things is Latin. In the country motto, the word **_Intentio _**isn't actually the translation for 'vigilance', which doesn't translate to anything in Latin. Intentio is actually Latin for 'attention'. …But "Constancy and Attention" doesn't have **_**nearly**_** the same amount of awe or prestige, so I changed the translation. :grins: And for that matter, the site I was at had a Latin translation for the English word "south" [Meridianus] but not "north" [for which I used Altus or 'high']. :raises an eyebrow: I find that odd. Also, this chapter was a lot of firsts for me. I had to create a family crest as well as an ancient form of currency. I did a lot of research on crests to find out a lot about what everything meant. As for the currency… Yeah, I basically made that up. I also had to create a general design/look of a castle, which was… interesting. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, cause it took freaking forever to write. Also, it's that time again! John Silver/Treasure Planet/other TP characters © Disney. Serenity/Ren © me and is not to be used in/for anything without my direct consent. :smiles: ))**


	9. Captured

Chapter Nine - Captured

"_JOHN!_"

He turned around frantically to look at the boat, whose boarding ramp had been pulled in, and saw Serenity being held by a couple crew members. As the ship began to quickly sail away, Bennett came to the railing, an evil smile on his face, and waved farewell.

Silver stood there, transfixed on the ship. Only after Bennett left the railing and Serenity issued another scream did Silver wake from his stupor. He looked around frantically, knowing the ship was quickly getting further away. Soon it would be out of sight. He didn't have time to run over to the Benbow to ask the innkeeper if he could borrow his ship. Silver's eyes fell on a boat that was being docked. It was small and thin, with a single solar sail that was already warm. There was a male Humalepus paying the dock master while his son tied off the boat. Without a second thought Silver ran over and shoved the kid aside. He quickly undid the rope, leaped inside and sped off. He was too far away for either rabbit to jump to. As they cursed him from the dock Silver yelled "I'LL BRING IT BACK!" _Foul Wind_ was almost out of sight, far in the distance.

* * *

Serenity screamed as the men detained her. She tried her hardest to use every escape trick she knew, but she felt less and less in control of herself as Bennett drew nearer to her. She knew her cheeks were soaked with tears even if she couldn't feel them. She thrashed wildly, unable to think or calm herself.

Bennett loomed over her and she forgot about the men holding her. She tried to back up, eyes wide with fear. She was silent, perceiving only Captain Reaver and the way he looked her in the eyes. She knew that soon she would be experiencing the revenge he had alluded to. As she gulped, he smiled. "Bind her hands and feet and gag her. Remove her sword and have her placed in my room, along with her pack." Then, he walked towards the crew member at the helm.

She barely felt the ropes being tied around her wrists as she watched him walk calmly away. They used her own handkerchief as a gag, removed her sword and led her to the captain's cabin. There, they threw her on the floor and bound her feet. She was barely conscious of her bag and sword being placed on the table. There were three men in the room, all humans like the rest of the crew. Two of them looked her over and talked with each other aloud.

"She's no' bad lookin' y'know," the first said. "Now tha' she's all tied up an' ain't go' no sword for the ready."

"Aye," said the second. "Mayhaps the cap'n will let us 'ave a bit o' her after 'im, afore he does away wi' her." They spoke casually, as though they were only discussing a piece of furniture.

"Tha' would be quite delicious. Wouldn' you agree, Kered?"

Kered, the third and closest man to her, scratched his beard thoughtfully. "I would agree thoroughly," he finally expressed. He knelt to the floor, his face in front of hers with his back to the other two. "And more than beautiful enough to warm any man's bed." His face was expressionless. As the other two agreed and began to discuss her physical attributes, Kered caught Serenity's attention with his eyes. He spoke only loud enough for her to hear:

"I do not want to harm you," he said, his eyes never wavering. "I work for the captain only because it's the only way to get money to feed my family. But this be too far for me to stand idle. Mark me: if it be at all in my power, I'll find a way to get you outta here."

After they held eyes for a few moments Serenity nodded slightly.

"Go' a good enough look o' her, have you?" one of the others remarked.

Kered rose, still facing Serenity. "Not as good a one as I hope to get later," he replied, his face bland.

"Tha's fer sure!" Someone whistled and they left, laughing, and closed the door behind them.

Serenity laid there feeling quite shaken. Forgetting what had just happened with Kered, she felt an overwhelming fear start to consume her. Any minute now Bennett was going to walk through that door and destroy her. And she knew he was going to do it emotionally, physically, mentally and most of all slowly. The only thought that kept returning to her was "He's changed." And it was certainly true. The Bennett she knew was a drunk, brainless, with absolutely no control over himself. But the person who held her captive on his boat was not the same. He was crafty, powerful and smart.

_He knew to separate me from Silver_, she thought after a while, as her mind started to clear. _He knew it was me as soon as we saw each other in Montressor. How could I have been so stupid as to get myself into this mess?_ She tried to wriggle her hands from their bonds, but had no success. They were bound tightly and behind her back, which made it harder to maneuver properly. She started to cry again. _Why do I have to continually fall into such misery?_

_

* * *

  
_

Silver fidgeted. He was taking the little boat as fast as it could go and had barely been able to keep up with Bennett. He had hit a stroke of luck, however, when _Foul Wind_ reduced speed after reaching the Etherium. John was slowly coming closer. But he was bombarded with worries. _What are they doing t' Serenity? Is she hurt? How much longer will it take t' reach the ship? What will I do when I get there? What _can _I do?_ He couldn't sit still. He couldn't think straight. He just kept imagining Serenity locked up, being beaten and tortured; or worse. Amidst the chaos of thoughts in his mind he somehow came up with a rough plan. He changed the degree of his direction slightly, putting himself underneath Bennett's ship instead of behind it. Then, he pulled out as many pieces of cloth as he could from his pack, spilling the Mooric pence within them into the boat. Listening carefully and stopping every so often to make sure he was still heading towards _Foul Wind_, Silver sought out the major noise spots on the boat and proceeded to muffle the sounds with the cloths.

* * *

Serenity waited above the door, thankful, not for the first time, that she was flexible. She had been left in this room, Bennett's cabin, for over three hours at least. After she stopped crying her fear left her and she became angry. He was playing games with her, leaving her alone in the room for a long time, to wonder where he was and when he was coming. And probably to let her imagination run wild with what he would do when he _did_ come back.

She had managed to get her arms in front of her by curling her knees to her chest and wriggling her bound hands underneath her feet. It hadn't been easy, and she was sure she was going to dislocate a shoulder, but she managed. When her hands were in front of her, she took out her boot knife, which the men had not thought to check her for. _So lazy_, she had though. _I may be female, but you'd still think they'd have checked me for other weapons, especially when they already know I have a sword._ She had held the knife upside down in her palm and sawed at the rope until it cut. The bindings, at least, had been done right. She managed to cut them where they connected, but they were impossible to untie from her wrists; she would have to cut them off later.

Now she sat on the thick beam that ran along the wall above the door. She still wasn't quite sure how she had managed to get up there. Luck, she guessed. She had locked the door so that she would have a small amount of forewarning before anyone came in. She looked around afterward, trying to think of what to do next. The window was too small for her to fit through, not that she'd have anywhere to go once she was outside. Eventually she spotted the beam which was above the door. No one would be able to see her just by walking in, only if they turned around and looked up. It was just above her reach; she had had to use the doorknob as a foot hold to boost herself high enough to climb on top. It had been so hard to do it without falling she was sure anyone near the door would have heard. But when no one came banging on the door trying to get in she guessed she was in the clear. She had thought about grabbing her sword first, but it would have been impossible to climb up there with it strapped to her waist. Not to mention it would get in the way if she had to jump on top of someone from the beam. _Besides_, she told herself. _I'm quick. If I have to jump on someone I'm sure that will distract them long enough for me to grab my sword. If I don't get them with one of my knives first, that is._ She grinned. Even John didn't know how many knives she had. It was hard to tell she had them hidden along her body, since her clothes were slightly baggy. She checked them again for the hundredth time, making sure they were all in their sheaths. The two from her boots, one at the small of her back, one each tucked into the straps of her shirt along her shoulder blades—She froze.

Had someone just tried to get in? She waited, hoping she was just hearing things. The jingle of a key ring. She crouched on the beam as she heard the key being placed, took out a boot knife as the tumblers fell into place and braced herself to jump at any moment as the door opened wide.

She saw his shadow first. He didn't move after opening the door, only stood there. _Why isn't he coming inside?_ _Why is he just standing there?_ Her pack and sword were right on the table, untouched after Kered and his crew mates left them there. Finally, he moved; but it wasn't to come inside. She watched his silhouette reach for something at his side and heard the _click!_ of his pistol as he made it ready to fire. He stood again for a moment, but not as long as the first time. The shadow of his pistol arm stretched above his head, straight up. Serenity frowned. _What?_ She thought. _Why was he shooting…_ she gasped. _Up!_

Serenity threw herself to the left side of the beam as Bennett's bullet blasted a hole through the wood where she had just been. It was still enough though; the beam had only been wide enough to walk along slowly, not for leaping across. As she fell to the ground she threw her knife away from anywhere she might land. She fell hard on her back and felt the air get pushed from her lungs.

She lay there gasping, the shock of her body sending water to her eyes. As the room stopped spinning, Bennett came into view above her head. He had her knife in his hand, inspecting it. "Now, if you had actually managed to kill me," he said, "what would you have done next? You would still have had to deal with the rest of the crew, most of which haven't had the pleasure of touching a woman like you in quite some time, if ever. Do you really think killing me would have done you any good?" He walked away and took a bottle of alcohol and two glasses from a cupboard on the wall. Serenity coughed and rolled onto her stomach. She moaned as she pushed herself up onto her feet, her whole body aching from the fall. As her head was clearing she chanced a glace at the door: Bennett had shut it again. Probably locked it, too. She looked back at him, still in too much pain to feel fear or panic. He filled one of the glasses halfway. When he went to fill the other one he looked at her. "Whiskey?" he asked. She only looked at him. He shrugged and filled the second glass with the same amount. Then he gathered all three and set them on the table next to Serenity's bag and sword, taking a seat.

She looked at him. He took a swig of his whiskey before picking up her sword to inspect it. _I'm right by the door_, she thought. _I can unlock it and get out before he even has time to stand. _

_Get out and do what?_ the realistic part of her asked. Still, she found herself backing slowly toward the door as he looked at her blade.

"It's unlocked," he said. He looked at her. "Go ahead. Go outside. There's no where you can go; we're already in the Etherium." Serenity looked out the window. Sure enough, there was nothing but space. She looked back at him, then at the door handle. She grabbed it and opened the door. She could see the entire deck. There were a few crew members lazing about here and there. A few were getting heated over a game of dice. One was taking a nap. Another, who looked like Kered, was leaning against the railing, staring into space.

"You can wander around the deck if you want." Serenity jumped and her shoulder slammed into the door frame. _When did he get so bloody _quiet? She asked herself. She hadn't heard him walk up behind her. He leaned down to whisper in her ear again. "But first, you're going to have a little chat with me." He reached out and pulled the door closed. Backing her into a corner, he put a hand on the wall beside her face. She put her hand on the knife hidden on the small of her back, but Bennett was too close for her to be able to pull it out and actually use it. He brought his face so close to hers that she could smell the whiskey on his breath. "Do you really think I wouldn't have recognized you?" he asked quietly. "That you could fool me a second time? I watched you for a long time, princess. I watched you grow up. I would have recognized you from a mile away, even if I hadn't seen the look of fear in your face when you walked into the Benbow and saw me. I've thought about you a lot over the past nine years." He took his hand off the wall and walked back toward the table to take another swig of his drink.

Serenity took her hand off the knife and calmed her breathing. _I was right,_ she thought. _He always did know who I was. _She thought back to the first night her and John stayed at the Spaceport. She had told him that her parents ran a dairy farm. It had hurt to lie to him, but she knew the truth would have been worse. If she had told him who her parents really were, he would have treated her different; not as his best friend and equal. Besides, she wasn't a princess anymore. She hasn't been one for nine years. She didn't need him feeling like he had to treat her like one or believing that she acted and thought like one. Bennett spoke again, shaking her from her thoughts.

"I guess I do owe you some semblance of thanks. You see, if you hadn't pulled that little stunt nine years ago, stealing everything of worth that I had and running away, I'd still be a drunk on the street. What you did filled me so much with hate that I vowed to destroy you if I ever saw you again. You gave me a purpose, something to live for: to find you and kill you. I stopped getting drunk, moved away from the people I was indebted to and started a new life. Cleaned up my act, you might say."

The snort escaped Serenity before she could cover it up. When he looked at her waiting to hear what was so funny she raised an eye brow. "You call going from 'alcoholic, gambling thief' to 'black-market, kidnapper' cleaning up your act?"

He smiled in an unfriendly fashion. "No, I guess not. But it certainly makes life a lot more interesting." He finished off his glass and placed it in the wash bin. "Seeing you in Montressor again, it was almost too good to be true. Here I was spending my life searching for you, only to have you come back to me. _Needing_ me. The irony was almost laughable." He picked up the second glass and walked over to her, holding it out. "It's rude to not drink the glass poured for you."

She took it, but didn't drink. "How do I know it's not poisoned? You _do_ plan on killing me, after all."

He laughed. "You really think after all these years that I am going to kill you that quickly? Oh, no, my dear little princess. I plan on enjoying this moment for as long as possible."

She tightened her grip on the glass. "I'm not a princess anymore," she said, determined to mask as much of her fear as she could.

"You're right," he mused, looking her in the eyes. "But you're going to get the same royal treatment your mother and sisters did before they were killed."

Serenity threw the whiskey on him.

He backhanded her across the face.

She dropped the glass, which shattered, and stumbled backwards until she slammed against the wall, hitting her head in the same spot as when she had fallen off the beam. She slid down to the ground and sat while her head stopped spinning. She pressed a hand to her cheek, which was throbbing. As the grey left her vision, she saw blood on her hand from her bleeding lip. She looked at Bennett, who had taken out his pipe, filled it and was lighting it. He shook out the match and threw it away, taking a couple puffs. "Don't forget that the door is unlocked," he said. He left, leaving her alone once more.

* * *

He felt like punching something. He had never been this frustrated in his life. Then again, Silver's life had become more than frustrating since Serenity had come into it. He was worried, angry and in the mood to murder someone; particularly Bennett. He looked once again at the ship, close enough for him to see but not enough for them to see him without a telescope. He had devised a small, heroic plan to catch up to the ship, kill everyone in a rage of adrenaline and rescue Serenity, who would run into his arms and never let go. Then he remembered that he was just one against roughly thirty. Silver was only an adequate swordsman; he wouldn't stand a chance.

_I knew we never should'a taken his deal_, he thought, not for the first time. _I knew as soon as Serenity told me who he was that we needed t' stay away from him. Damnit, Serenity! If ye're not already dead by the time I find a way t' get on that ship, I t'ink I'll kill ye meself._ He didn't really mean that, of course. He knew he was just angry that he had let Serenity talk him out of following his gut reactions back in the Benbow.

He was riding along for another fifteen minutes or so before he noticed that _Foul Wind_ had stopped moving. Silver cut the engine and hovered, curious. After a few more minutes he saw a lifeboat emerge from the ship and fly towards a nearby planet. He paused for a minute, thinking. Should he stay with the ship, or follow whoever was on the life boat? If he followed the people on the lifeboat he might have the chance to find out what was happening to Serenity – but that would mean having to lose sight of the ship Serenity was actually on. His internal debate lasted until he realized that _Foul Wind_ obviously wasn't going to sail anywhere until whoever was in the lifeboat had come back. So, he punched the engine and gunned it, following them.

* * *

Kered frowned at the packet in his hands. It had been hard enough restocking what groceries they needed when he didn't understand the language they spoke on whatever planet this was. Finding a poison was near impossible.

He didn't feel at all awkward in the back section of the cultish looking shop he was in. The crew member who had been forced to go with him had immediately left Kered and headed towards the nearest whore house. Not that Kered minded of course; it gave him more time to find a way to detain the rest of his crew while he tried to get Serenity off the ship. Kered thought of his wife and children. He wasn't sure what he would do if his wife or only daughter ever got caught up in a situation like Serenity's. The thought made his blood boil. He didn't know Serenity, but he did know how to treat a woman and he wasn't going to let even his captain get away with this kind of disgrace.

He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the curtain open and close behind him. It didn't even click that he was in danger until the large hand was already covering his mouth, pulling up his chin so that a sharp knife could rest on his neck.

"What did he do t' her?" The voice was quiet, but deadly. Murderous, even. It took Kered a moment to realize who was confining him. When Silver's hand slowly slid off of Kered's mouth, he said: "I don't know what he's done to her. She's let to walk on deck, and the crew takes a good gander, but they don't touch her. She's also sporting a pretty shade of purp on her left cheek and a healing split lip, both of which she didn't have when we were told to detain her. But she's still alive."

He didn't see Silver nod, but he heard a small sigh of relief from him. "t'anks for the information. Unfortunately, I don't need ye cryin' back to ye're captain that I'm followin' ye guys, so I'm goin' t' have t' kill ye now…"

"Wait!" Kered said, grabbing Silver's knife arm. "I'm trying to help the lady!"

Silver's arm relaxed a little, though he kept the knife on Kered's neck. "What?" he asked.

"I'm trying to help Serenity get off of the ship. See? This is poison." He held up the packet he had been looking at. "I'm looking for a way to distract the crew, like. So they won't be able to stop her from getting away."

Silver was silent for what seemed like hours. Kered was about to say something else to try and dissuade him from murder when John asked: "Why should I trust ye?"

Kered thought about his answer before he said it, knowing that it may be his last. Finally, he spoke. "'Cause I have my own wife and kids. I know love and how to treat a lady and I don't abide abusing them." He took a breath before he spoke again. "And remember, Silver. This ain't no pirate's ship; not everyone here has evil on their mind." After another long pause, he felt Silver's grip soften and his hand and knife slid away from Kered's body.

"What's yer name?"

"Kered. Kered Bissoun."

Silver nodded. "Well, Kered, if ye're lookin' for a good distraction, don't get that cheap crap. This is what ye want…"

* * *

Serenity laughed, despite herself. "I'm sorry," she said. "You want me to _what_, now?" She was sitting on deck with her back against the main mast. She _had_ been relaxing… Well, forming plans, really. Playing through different possible scenarios of how Bennett may try to attack her and what she could do to protect herself in those situations. Her thoughts had been interrupted by Max, now standing in front of her, holding a mop, bucket and a small, very small, article of clothing.

Maxed grinned his boyish grin and shrugged. "Captain's orders, Serenity."

"Isn't that nice?" she said thoughtfully. She turned her gaze towards Bennett, who was leaning calmly on the railing of the small upper deck outside his cabin, smoking his pipe. They looked at each other for a moment, neither giving away any hint of emotion.

It was a test, obviously. Not a new one, at that. She had been threatened with it back when she was dragged onto Captain Sparcian's boat: that when she was older, she would still be a cabin girl but she would have to do her chores in rags that barely concealed her girlish figure. Now she was being threatened with it for real. Not that it bothered her, really. She had no qualms about nakedness, as most of her earlier time in Befalder was spent wearing thin rags. And she certainly didn't care about being immodestly dressed in front of the crew. Most made jokes and cat calls, but they didn't dare touch her. The others didn't do anything. They simply went about their chores and didn't speak to her. Of those people, most were ones that Serenity had spoken to when she had been traveling to and from Viridus Vida; ones that were respectable and friendly. She knew why they didn't talk to her now. If they did, they could get in trouble for being kind.

Still, here she sat at the first, and probably only, cross road with how she would handle Bennett. She had already accepted that she was going to die on this boat. There were too many crew members for Silver to be able to come rescue her on his own. She wished to know where he was, and to assure him that she was fine, regardless of her immanent fate. Her mind wandered back to the first night they had stayed at the Benbow. When she had awoken that morning the first thing she saw was John's face, inches from her own. Though she was sure she had felt him stir, he had seemed quite asleep. She had reached with her hand to caress his cheek, but had stopped herself before actually touching him. She sighed now, as she had back then, at her foolery. At the time she had told herself that she had more important things to think about than love. She still believed that and knew that Silver would never see her that way after all her lies, anyway. Still, she wished she could be back at that moment. That she could have done things different. If Serenity had taken the chance and just touched him, maybe things would be different now.

Or maybe they would just feel less empty.

"Serenity..?" Max's voice was quiet. She looked at him and was shocked to see a slight concern in his eyes. She looked back at Bennett, who was still waiting to see her reaction.

"You may tell the captain," she said, loud enough for Bennett and the present crew to hear, "that his ridiculous request has been noted… and declined." Though Bennett made no change in posture, she knew he had heard her. He continued to lean against the rail, smoking his pipe. The crew on deck shifted anxiously; you don't disobey the captain's orders.

"Serenity, you know very well that it wasn't a request the captain gave you."

She kept her gaze on Bennett as she spoke, refusing to drop the staring contest first. "I never thought I'd ever hear myself saying this to you, Max, but you're right."

He set the things down and knelt next to her. "Come on, Serenity, don't do this." Her eyes dragged themselves away from Bennett against her will to fall once more upon Max. "You know damn well he's testing you. He _wants_ you to fight him so he has all the more reason to be cruel to you. Don't play his game."

She thought for a moment, not about what Max was saying, simply that he was saying it. "First of all, why do you care? And for that matter, aren't you at all afraid that he'll punish you for being friendly to me?"

Max shrugged. "Bennett and I have always been more like business partners, as opposed to captain and first mate. He knows I simply let people go their own way and don't try to interfere in much. He doesn't really seem to care what I do, so long as I let him live his life the way he wants to. It's an odd relationship he and I have, though I'm not necessarily complaining about it. As for the first question…" He paused, cocking his head to the side. "You may not like me very much, but that doesn't mean those exact feelings are returned." They continued looking at each other for a brief minute before Serenity shook her head.

"I never thought I'd actually have a normal, somewhat philosophical discussion with a pedophile."

He grinned again. "Love you, too, sweetheart."

She rolled her eyes and stood up, Max following suit. With a sigh she bent down and picked up the cloth. It was a sad excuse for a slip. It was thin and dirty. The arm holes were ripped almost down to the end of the skirt, which looked as though it would only fall long enough to conceal her privates while standing. She tried to discern which side was the front, but decided it didn't really matter: both sides were hung so low from the neck that anyone would get to know her extremely well just at a glance. She looked back at Max.

"You know," she said thoughtfully. "If there's one thing I've learned about life it's that you can always look back at it and see the reflection of the choices you've made throughout it. Bennett is going to kill me. I know that. However, I'm not going to play his games. I know exactly what he'll do: he'll try to humiliate me, torture me and hurt me until he gets tired of vengance and just kills me. I will not go down easy. He knows that. But it doesn't matter anymore." She held his eyes, keeping a semblance of respect in her voice that she'd never used with Max before. "The only thing that matters is that I tried to make the most of my life, even into my last hours. That even to my last breath I made every effort to protect myself and what I believe. I believe a lot of things, Max. I believe that people should be judged by their actions, not their thoughts or their words. I believe that Flint needs to be killed and his fleet destroyed. I believe that love is something that can only be experienced untainted once. But one thing I _don't_ believe, Max, is in going down without a fight simply because you know your enemy _wants_ you to fight. I am not going to let Bennett play with me and dispose of me at a time of _his_ choosing. I am going to take that judgment into my own hands."

She examined the garment again and threw it over her head, pulling the bunching material over her clothes. When Max looked at her curiously, she simply shrugged and said: "He never said I had to take my clothes off." Max shook his head in disbelief and pity. "Girl, what _are_ you doing?" he asked, hopelessness and exasperation dripping from his voice.

She picked up the mop and dipped it in the bucket, saturating it with the soapy water. When she brought it out again, she lifted it horizontally in front of her, both hands equally spaced on the handle. The water dripped heavily on the deck, pooling into a good sized puddle. She looked at him again and raised an eyebrow.

"Fighting."

As his confusion began to spread, she quickly smacked him across the face with the mop. He stumbled backward in surprise with a yelp as the soap stung his eyes. Serenity followed her hit with another, rapping him smartly on the temple. As he fumbled to get his sword out, she reached out a foot and swept out his feet, tripping him. She lifted the blunt tip of the handle above his chest dramatically, as though to spear him. She waited until the last possible second, as she heard the thumps of the crew's feet behind her. Winking at Max, she spun around, catching the nearest crew member by surprise with a wet mop to the face. He, too, was thrown off by the stinging in his eyes and stumbled backwards into another crewmate, who shoved him out of the way. She swung the mop at the next man, who managed to parry it, but hadn't bothered watching the rest of her. She managed a swift back kick to his gut as she turned to block the guy coming behind her. She used the handle to throw his thrust to the side, chipping the wood, and hit him square in the forehead with the butt of the mop. He took a couple steps backwards to clear his head then charged at her, sword raised.

But before he could hit her he slipped in the puddle, landing on his back with a harsh sounding thud. Thinking quickly, Serenity located the bucket and knocked it over, spilling water towards the direction where most of the crew was coming from. Not all of them slipped, but a few did. _Well, a few is better than none!_ She thought.

She heard a grunt behind her and rolled to the side, barely missing a crew member's blade. Kneeling, she hooked the bucket with the end of the mop and flung it at him. As it bashed him on the face she thought with grim humor: _Too bad I'll only ever be lucky enough to do _that_ move once._ Still on her knees, she turned and blocked another blade that had been poorly aimed. The blade sliced through the handle, cutting off the mop's head and giving her a much lighter and faster weapon to work with. She hadn't used a staff in what felt like ages, but as she parried and dealt more blows the old rhythm came back quickly.

In most circumstances, Serenity hated favorites. _Especially_ when it was on a ship and with crew members. Still, she found herself playing that game. Some of the men on this crew were good people and acquaintances that she liked well enough before, and knew they liked her. Those same men were the ones who didn't pay her any mind while on deck and never whistled at or belittled her. She didn't hit them _nearly_ as hard as the others, though she did have to hit them. She knew they were only doing their jobs, trying to catch her, and she could tell they weren't trying too hard. She managed to get in a couple more good hits before she realized she should get to a higher spot and prevent being surrounded.

She fought, watching out of her peripheral vision for both more enemies and a way to get to higher ground. She ducked down to a squat, avoiding a swing. The same man thrust low, aiming to kill. There was no way Serenity would have been able to block it, crouched as she was. Fortunately, the man seemed to remember that killing her would probably make Bennett angry, and he faltered, hesitating. Serenity grabbed her opportunity, and leaned towards him, something he was not expecting. She held the mop handle between her hands and slammed it towards the ground, pinning his blade. In the same fluid motion she kicked her legs up over her head, keeping her hands on the deck for balance, and kicked him in the face, landing on her feet. The kick was a hard one and he fell backwards, letting go of his sword.

Someone grabbed the handle and tried to pry it from her grip. She pulled hard, but he was pulling harder and standing on two feet, whereas she was squatting. She pulled hard and let go. The man stumbled and collided with the men coming up behind them. Without a weapon, she ran to the ship's rail behind her and began to climb the shrouds from the main mast.

She regretted it as soon as she did it. The only way to go from here was further up, where she would trap herself. _Too late, now_, she thought. She kept climbing. It only took a few seconds to feel the ropes bouncing as most of the crew members chased her up. When she reached the crow's nest Serenity pulled out her other boot knife, the one Bennett hadn't taken, and held it at one of the shroud's ropes. The men froze, no more than ten yards away. She didn't want to kill them, but she also knew more men were coming up the other side. "Hold on tight!" she yelled and cut one of the two ropes.

The men cried out and held on as one side of the shrouds loosened and fell. They dangled there, holding on to the ropes and trying to climb closer to the side that was still taut. Glad that no one fell to their demise, Serenity ran over and did the same to the other side. These men didn't get as much of a warning, though she gave them a small one. Again, no one fell. Serenity stood for a moment, aware that the men were still climbing upward. She looked up and saw the rope going from the top of the main mast to the top of the foremast. She shook her head. _I must be crazy, _she thought, sheathing her knife in her boot once more.

Quickly, she ripped off the dirty slip. Wrapping it tightly around one hand, she threw the other end over the rope and wrapped it tightly around her other hand. She looked down and hesitated. If she dropped, she would probably die. _I'm dead anyway,_ she reminded herself. With that, she jumped. The shirt zipped down the rope at a much faster pace than she had anticipated. She was just starting to realize what a bad idea this was when another thought crossed her mind. When she was no more than ten feet away from hitting the foremast she let go of the shirt.

For a few glorious seconds she flew, carried by the momentum. She felt weightless and free. Then gravity took over. For a treacherous second she thought she wasn't going to make it. Then she slammed into the fore topgallant. As she slid down the sail, the rough fabric burning where her flesh touched it, she tried to turn onto her back.

She felt her feet leave the sail first. Instinctively, she braced her hands to grab the rope she knew was going to be there. As it slid into her palms she took hold; but she had been going fast. Her body stopped with a jerk and began to plummet towards the ground, but she kept hold. Then she swung herself forward, turning in the air to land butt first on the fore topsail. She slid more gently down this one, though, and was able to stop herself faultily on the fore course yard. She quickly climbed down the foremast, landing with a dramatic thud on the roof of Bennett's cabin.

She stood slowly, gasping for breath, the Etherial winds tossing her hair. She looked up at the crew, most of whom had watched her flight from the broken shrouds. The others, who had either made it to the crow's nest or had waited on the deck, stood in awe. She felt a slight stinging in her right shoulder, among several other places, where she had gotten cut and not realized it. A quick glance told her the one on the shoulder was the worst, but it was shallow. Granted, it didn't matter much since she was going to die at some point on this miserable vessel. Slowly, Serenity walked toward the edge of the roof until she could see Bennett.

If he had been at all stunned by her performance, he was hiding it now. She was conscious of her body shaking: the realized reality of what she had just done mixed with the fading of her adrenaline rush. Her breath came in heavy gasps, but she managed to stand straight, aiming a level gaze at him.

"Feeling closer to freedom?" he asked casually. He blew a couple smoke rings at her.

She chuckled halfheartedly. "And why would I feel that?"

"Well, that was an awfully big attempt to stay alive, don't you think?"

"Living is no longer an option for me, anymore. I came to terms with that a while ago. When I die: that is the important thing."

"And when would that be..?"

Serenity jumped off the edge of the roof, landing at his feet in a kneeling stance. She rested her hand on the handle of her remaining boot knife, out of his vision. Slowly she turned her head up to look at him, capturing his eyes with hers.

"When I can take you with me," she said.

In a swift action she brought up the knife, aiming for his throat. Bennett dodged to the side. Instead, Serenity's blade continued up and cut him deep along his cheek and straight on through his left eye. She was momentarily stunned by how quick he was. It was all he needed.

He grabbed her knife wrist with one hand and pried the knife out with the other. He threw the knife aside and grabbed her by the neck just under her jaw. He pinned her to the wall outside his cabin, holding her feet just above the ground. As she gasped for breath and tears filled her eyes she barely heard him say, "Don't count on it." He held her there for a moment more before he gave a great grunt and threw her over the railing into the gathering crew. They jumped aside, surprised, as her body landed with a crunch.

It took a second for the pain to register. When it did, she gave a deafening cry. She had landed awkwardly on her arm and something had broken, though she couldn't tell what through the pain. A couple crew members, friendlier ones, rushed forward and sat her up, taking great care of the broken arm. She didn't hear the order for her to be taken to the mess floor, but she felt herself being picked up and carried away.

The crew silently looked at Bennett from their perches, unsure of what to do next. Most were feeling haunted by Serenity's screams calling out from the room. Others still seemed to be registering what all had just happened. They watched their captain with caution and fear. The ones closer to him could see that his eye had just been cut useless; yet he was issuing no scream and showing no signs of fear. His body heaved with anger, ready to burst from him. He reached up and touched his bloody and gashed eye, which he could no longer see from. All he said to them was:

"Gentlemen, prepare yourselves for a long night."

With that, he turned and walked swiftly into his cabin, slamming the door shut behind him.

**((Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to write this chapter. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my story! But yeah… what I said earlier about college seemingly getting faster every time I blink? True statement. Fortunately, it's Christmas break and I don't have any school to worry about for at least another week. Anyway, about this chapter. It actually turned out longer than I expected. This is only half the content I had originally intended for this chapter, but that fight scene turned out to be longer than I thought it would. Not that I'm complaining, really. I'm pretty darn proud of that fight scene. Then again, I'm picturing it all perfectly in my head, an image I cannot pass on to you easily. So, I don't know how you felt about that fight, but I like it. Anyway, Serenity knows she's going to die here. Is she? I dunno. You'll have to wait and find out. In any case, Bennett is pissed and pushed beyond the self control he was able to teach himself. Silver and Kered better hurry up with whatever it is they've got planned… Silver/Treasure Planet/etc © Disney. Serenity © myself, and is not to be used without my expressed permission…))**


	10. Chaos

**This chapter has content that not all readers may find favorable.**

Chapter Ten - Chaos

She came back to full consciousness to find herself lying on a table in the mess room. Her arm felt like it was on fire. She tried to move it and screamed with pain. Gentle hands firmly held her in place on the table, keeping her from thrashing. When she calmed again Serenity opened her eyes to see a small handful of crewmates standing around her. She looked at each face clearly, recognizing them all as friends. They returned her gaze with concern and fear. No one said a word.

Her memory slowly returned and the realization of what had just happened dawned on her. "Is he…?" she started to ask. Her mouth was too dry to finish the question.

It didn't matter. Everyone seemed to know what she was going to ask; they shifted nervously where they stood, unwilling to meet her eyes. Finally, someone spoke:

"Aye. He's livid as a wet hornet. Marty is in there with him right now about his eye."

"Max is in there, too," said another. "I walked by a few minutes ago; sounds like they're having a bit of a squabble."

"'A bit'?" asked a new voice. They all turned to see who had entered. Kered set some parcels down on another table and walked over. "Mayhaps you should try going out there again. They're going at it like an old, married couple. What happened? We just got back." Everyone shifted nervously again and made room for him to stand around the table. When they parted and Kered saw Serenity lying on the table he stopped with a gasp of horror. Serenity could only imagine what she looked like to everyone right now: a healing bruise on her cheek, a scabbed lip, harsh cuts and smaller gashes along her arms and legs, burn marks on her hands, shoulders and face, bruises all over her body, most specifically on her neck just under the chin, and her right arm in a makeshift sling. If it weren't the sign of her impending doom it might have been impressive, she thought.

"Serenity," he said quietly. "What did you do?" She tried to give a weak smile, but instead of grinning tears began to well in her eyes. After a couple very weak attempts to keep herself calm her control broke and she began to weep. As the tears soaked her face she felt herself being carefully sat up, with extra caution not to bump her arm, and embraced in a deep, strong hug. As she cried into Kered's shoulder he patted her lightly on the back, shushing her softly, much like he would do for his own daughter. She continued to heave and wail for minutes on end, her fear of death finally showing its ugly face. After a while, Kered leaned toward her ear and whispered: "Don't be afraid, little missy. We are not going to let the captain do anything more to you. Even if my own conscience didn't plague me with guilt, John will surely kill me if I let Bennett kill you."

Serenity's tears stopped almost instantly as she sat up and grabbed hold of Kered's sleeve. "John?" she asked. "You saw him? Where is he? Did he say anything?"

"Hush, child. He's fine. Fine enough for murder, which he tried today, already." When Serenity looked at him, greedy for information, he sighed. "John followed me and Jasper to whatever planet we were near. I dunno the name of it. Can't even speak the language there. It was hell getting the groceries. Anyway. He followed me into a store and practically killed me to figure out what was happening to you. We have…" he looked around at everyone present, checking each face to make sure they were all trustworthy. "…plans." He proceeded to tell everyone what he and Silver had devised.

For the first time in what felt like ages, Serenity felt hope fill her. Maybe she wouldn't die on this boat after all.

Footsteps came thudding down the steps from the deck. Kered and Serenity immediately let go of each other and the men all leaped back, leaving lots of space between them and Serenity. Jasper finally dropped down into the mess hall. He cast a quick, quizzical glance at each of the men before saying, "The captain wants Serenity brought to his cabin now."

One of the men nodded. Another said, "We'll take care of it."

After Jasper left, Kered looked again at each face. There were roughly eight of them, not including himself. "Are we missing anyone trustworthy?"

"Japhon."

"What about Ryan and Mitch?"

"Don't forget Mikey."

"Are you thick? Mikey don't say much, but if you catch him when he's talking it's nothing but murder and undressing the girl. I don't trust him, leave him out."

"Max."

They all turned to look at her in disbelief. "Max?" someone asked.

"You really don't expect us to tell him the plan, do you?" asked another.

"He's Bennett's First Mate!"

"Yeah, there's no way we can trust him."

"Well, I trust him," Serenity said. "I trust him, and he can help. Besides, we are barely a fourth of this ship. We need all the help we can get."

No one said anything. Finally, Kered agreed to tell Max. "We need to do this tonight. Jeff, you're friendly with the cook." He threw him a small packet. "Make sure this gets into tonight's dinner, even if you have to sneak it in. Rick and Alex, you two follow captain's orders and take Serenity to his cabin. Sam, you come with me. The rest of you go back up-top and wait. Don't draw attention to yourselves either; stay in small groups and _keep silent_ about the plan. I'm going to make sure Silver gets up here without notice."

As the crew left, Serenity said to Kered: "When you see him again, tell him…" She paused, trying to think of something. "…tell him to be careful."

Kered looked at her. As if he knew what she was really thinking he simply responded, "Serenity, look at me and hear me true: We are not going to let Bennett do _anything_ to you, understand? You are gonna make it off this boat alive and in one piece." Serenity only nodded as her eyes filled again with tears. He gave her one last, solid hug before Rick and Alex gently helped her off the table and escorted her outside.

* * *

"I thought we weren't gonna follow through with this t'ing for another couple o' hours, Kered. What's goin' on?" John let Kered help pull him into the hanger.

"'Fraid we can't wait, Silver. Serenity's… --well, to be honest I haven't heard what happened yet." They both looked at Sam, who listened quietly for a few more seconds at the door before walking towards them. As he sat, Kered noticed for the first time that Sam, too, was sporting as many, if not more, bruises than Serenity was. He had an especially nasty looking lump forming on his forehead, between his eyes. In a whisper, Sam retold everything that had happened.

"You should have seen her! It was such shock to see her crying a few moments ago; after she zipped down the ropes and flew into the sails I was fully convinced that she had not a trace of fear in her soul. She can do anything, she can." He paused in wonder. "Anyway, she slid all the way down the sails, accounting for all the burn patches you saw on her skin. She caught hold of the ropes that hang just below the fore topgallant, and we almost thought she wasn't going to make it, but she managed to hang on, despite the circumstances. After she slid down all the sails she landed on the stateroom roof and walked toward the edge where Bennett was just below. Did they ever have quite the stare-down! Bennett: quiet, thoughtless, and unreadable; Serenity: solid, majestic… immortal." He sighed and hung his head. "Aye, if only she were. If anyone deserves to live forever, it's her. The rest of us only sat, silent, unsure of what to do; curious and afraid of what would happen next. They exchanged a few words, but seeing as how I was holding onto the one remaining good rope for my own life, I didn't catch what they said. The last thing I remember is Serenity jumping from the roof to land at Bennett's feet. She looked up at him and said something, and without warning she pulled a dagger out of somewhere and tried to kill him. Nearly got him, too. But he was too quick. She didn't kill him, but she did cut him across the cheek and straight through his eye.

"I don't think I've ever seen him that angry. He always terrified me because it seemed that no matter what happened he knew everything and kept his composure, as though he did what you wouldn't expect just to keep you on your toes. But, boy, if he didn't teach her a lesson right there and then. He snatched her arm with one hand and used the other to pry the dagger from it before grabbing her by the neck. He held her a few feet off the ground and choked her a bit. I thought she was dead for sure. Finally, he heaved and threw her onto the deck into the crew mates. She landed on her arm and it snapped." Another sigh. "If he can ever see out of that eye properly again even I will proclaim to believe in miracles."

Kered placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Believe," he said. "We need one."

The silence was interrupted by John's fist solidly meeting the hull of the lifeboat they crouched next to. "I'm goin' t' _kill him,_" he whispered violently.

"Good grief, Silver! Do ye want to blow the cover? For Serenity's sake, and our own, save your passion for the fight! Don't let your anger blot out your sense of reason; you need it to save the woman you love, after all!"

Silver's anger left him instantly and he looked at Kered, eyebrows furrowed slightly. _Love?_ He thought.

Sam had snuck back over to the door and put an ear to it. After a few moments he whispered frantically to Kered, "Someone's coming!"

"Stay with Sam, he knows where to take you," he told John. He stood and hurried to the door. "Do what needs to be done," he said to Sam. "I'll take care of this." Kered pulled something out of his belt, opened the door and stepped through. After he closed it, John and Sam heard him greet whoever was coming down, spinning a tale about having left something in the lifeboat from earlier. Silence engulfed them as they waited to make sure the way was clear for them to go through.

"I'm sorry you won't get to see her right away." John looked at Sam, who continued. "See, just before we came to get you, Jasper came down to the mess where we all were and relayed the captain's orders for Serenity to be brought to his cabin. I don't know what he's got planned, but John, it's not good. That's why you're here now. We need to save her and we need to do it _now_. Her spirits are broken worse than her arm. She seems to have already accepted death. I don't trust that she can protect herself very long, if at all, especially against Bennett."

John didn't say anything. Thousands of thoughts were flying through his mind, all of them incomprehensible. The only thing that rang coherently in his mind was "love". After a few more minutes, Sam pointed to the door and lead Silver quietly through the hallways.

* * *

Alex knocked on the captain's door when they arrived. "In," was the only harsh reply. Rick gave Serenity a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder before they escorted her through the door.

Max nearly collided with them on his way out. He was noticeably angry, breathing deeply through his nostrils. With seemingly no regard toward Bennett's presence, Max took Serenity firmly by the shoulders, with care toward her broken arm, and looked her in the eyes for a long moment. He said nothing, and she couldn't read his eyes. Finally, he gave an angry grunt and pushed his way past her, slamming the door shut behind him.

Serenity watched him go, staring at the door. The harsh sound of a nearly empty bottle being dropped onto the table brought her attention back to where she was. Bennett was standing behind the table. The eye Serenity had cut was hidden behind a patch with gauze underneath it, while his remaining eye glared at her. She held the gaze, refusing to let her fears surface in front of him.

He picked up several coils of rope she hadn't bothered to notice were on the table and threw them at Rick and Alex. "Tie her down," he said, and pointed at his bed. The two of them looked at the ropes, then at each other, with uncertainty. It was Rick who asked:

"I'm sorry sir. Tie her down?"

"Did I stutter?" He responded coldly.

"No, captain, I just… What are you going to do to her?"

"Are you questioning my orders?"

Alex tugged at Rick's arm. "Come on, Rick, just do what he says," he whispered to him. "Don't be a fool!"

"NO!" he cried. He pulled his arm away from Alex and pointed at Bennett. "We may run business in the black market, but captain or no, I _refuse_ to tie a woman to a bed for you to have a way with her! I may have to be dishonest for this line of work but I do not have to be immoral!" He threw the ropes aside for emphasis.

There was a long silence before Bennett crossed his arms, folding his hands into his jacket. "Is that how you truly feel?" he asked calmly.

"It is," Rick said. He seemed slightly confused by Bennett's even demeanor.

Bennett sighed and shook his head. "That's a shame. You were one of my best crew members." With that, Bennett unfolded his arms from his chest, pulling a handgun from his jacket. In a fluid and practiced motion he aimed, cocked and fired. Serenity screamed. Alex pulled his sword and stood in front of her.

Rick's body fell to the floor lifeless.

Bennett lifted his gun again and aimed it at Alex. "Tie her," he said. "Now!" Alex hesitated, keeping his sword guarded. Bennett cocked the gun.

"Alex." Serenity grabbed his arm and made him look at her. "Please. Just do it. Please." She looked down at Rick's corpse, still in shock. Alex looked like he was going to refuse. He started several times as though he were going to say something before he finally sheathed his sword. He proceeded to guide her to the bed and tie her to it.

"Do it right," Bennett said. "I'll know if you haven't."

* * *

There were only a few men already eating when the gun went off. Most were still on deck slowly making their way below. Serenity's scream was impossible to miss. In the silence that followed immediately afterwards they heard the evidence of a quick scuffle on the floor below them and were unprepared when John roared his way up the steps and ran through the mess to the deck, pushing aside anyone in his way. When Sam ran by, sword unsheathed, chasing Silver, the rest of the crew leapt from their seats and charged up deck, readying their own weapons.

John ran up the steps and was immediately greeted by the remainder of the crew on their way to eat. He jerked to a halt, just as surprised to see all of them as they were to see him. Sam joined him just as he turned around to run a different direction. He was cut off by those in the mess who were climbing on deck and backed up as the crew formed a large circle around him, weapons drawn.

"I've got no problem killin' each an' every one o' ye, if that's what it takes to save her," he said clearly. Most of them laughed. After all, the odds were one against almost forty. Almost simultaneously, about eight men walked slowly toward Silver from different parts of the circle, Kered among them. They formed another circle around him before turning and facing the rest of the crew, weapons guarded.

"You're either with us or an enemy," Kered told them.

At that moment, the door to Bennett's cabin opened and Alex came out, hurriedly shutting the door behind him. He had run all the way down the stairs to the deck and halfway to the mess before he noticed everyone was already outside. He seemed shaken. "Rick!" he exclaimed. "He's dead! Bennett killed him."

Several crew members cried out and others asked what had happened.

"We took her there like we were told. When we got there he ordered us to tie her to his bed. Rick refused; so Bennett pulled his handgun and shot him."

"That's what he gets for disobeying the captain!" someone yelled.

Another scream came from the stateroom. "SERENITY!" Silver yelled. He roared again and drove himself into the enemies blocking his way. The deck soon filled with the clang of swords and the smell of blood.

* * *

"We'll get you out of here. Don't worry."

Alex whispered this to her right before he left. Now it was just the two of them. The smell of whiskey was strong, even from how far away he was. He chugged the last of the bottle, wiping his lips with the back of his hand.

"So," Bennett said as he walked towards her with a swagger. He grabbed a dagger from the table as he walked past it; the one she had cut his eye with. His blood was still on it. His face twitched as a greedy smile spread across it. "What game shall we play first?"

She looked at him, horrified. "You're drunk!" she exclaimed.

His belly gurgled with his deep throated laugh. "Oh, no. Not nearly. After all, at least one of us has to remember this little event, and seeing as how you won't be surviving it, I guess that duty is up to me."

"What do you know about duty?" she asked him. "All your life you've done nothing but waste yourself, your money, your skills. You tossed all sense of responsibility in your greed and your addiction to excitement! You wouldn't recognize duty if it was the only thing around you."

He finally reached the bedside. Leaning over, he put his face right in front of her. "I'd love to sit and chat with you about that and whatever else you wished. However, I have other plans." He reached out suddenly and grabbed her by the chin. "Let's start with the most recent, shall we? Don't worry. I'll go nice and slow." He took the dagger and placed the tip above her eye, slowly cutting down the eye lid. Her eyes filled with tears, blood dripping into them, but she refused to cry out. He followed the cut down across her cheek until it slid off at the end of her chin.

"You know, we're not so different, you and me," he said. He ran the flat of the blade gently across her face. "We've both had everything that was ever important or of value to us stolen. We've both devoted our lives to destroying the one who took it all away." He dragged the tip of the dagger slowly down the length of her body without cutting her. "You know what _is_ different about the two of us?"

"Your lack of morals and ability to keep your breath fresh; my ability to care about other people more than myself," she spouted venomously. "You really need to be more specific. Really, the list is infinite."

"No, my sweet princess. The only difference between you and me is…" He stopped the dagger at her belt. "…you still have things to lose." With a jerk, he cut open her pants. She tried to bring her legs together, with no success. He tossed the dagger aside and crawled on the bed to kneel between her knees. "And it will be my pleasure… "—he said as he used his hands to tear open the rest of the fabric— "…to make sure that you lose it all…" -- he fumbled with the button at his own waist—"…and feel _every_ loss." Serenity, who had been thrashing to get loose, screamed as she succumbed to tears.

* * *

Max slammed the door to his room shut. He knocked over and kicked random things as he paced around his room. When he heard the gunshot a minute later he started packing his things. _No more!_ he thought to himself. _I'm done working for this unprofessional jerk who lacks anything that involves tact and taste!_ Earlier he had gone to Bennett's cabin to see how he fared. When he saw the coils of rope and realized what he was planning, Max had tried to talk reason into him. The only result was a heated argument that ended with Max expressing that he no longer wished to associate with Bennett as business partners, or hold any other type of affiliation with him.

Clothes and property flew everywhere in his fervor to collect his things. He heard a second scream, and a few moments later a… roar? _What the devil..?_ he asked himself. It had come from the deck. As he stomped over to his door, the air grew louder with the sounds of metal on metal and the deep yells of bloodthirsty men. Max threw the door open to see the deck in the midst of chaos. The entire crew was fighting with each other. A few fell to the ground dead. Others, he noticed, stopped mid fighting to drop their swords and clench their stomachs, crying out in pain. These men, collapsing to their knees as though poisoned, vomited white froth and whatever had been served at dinner before seizing into fetal position on the ground.

"GET OUT O' MY WAY!" he heard someone yell from the stairs just below him. Max stuck his head out a little further to see Silver fighting off two crewmates at once. As he stepped outside Max unsheathed his sword and ran down to aid his friend. He brought his sword to bear on one of the two men, who spotted Max out of his peripheral vision and blocked the swing. Max pushed the man's blade to the side and let all his anger out in one, solid punch across the face. The man fell to the floor, dazed.

Someone grabbed the back of his shirt and threw him into the nearest wall. Max gasped as Silver pinned him there, his face close, personal, and ugly with hate and vengeance. The man Silver had just been fighting lay lifeless in a bloody pool just a couple feet away. "Ye've got _one_ chance t' give me a reason why I shouldn't kill ye along with th' rest o' this miserable crew."

Max wanted to slap him across the face for associating him with such cruel ideals. "You think I suggested all this? Bloody hell, Silver, I'm not your enemy! Stop wasting your time with me and go save her! I'll keep anyone from following you up."

John glared at him, but a second gun shot from the stateroom caused him to let go and run up the stairs. When he reached the door to Bennett's cabin he threw all his force into it without bothering with the handle. He hit it with such force that it burst from the hinges, showering the inside of the room with splinters.

* * *

She squirmed and wriggled violently, trying to get herself free of her bonds. Her shrieks were choked with tears as she strained her mind to focus on anything but the man rubbing himself against her. Time seemed to drag as he teased and tortured her with what seemed like everything but flat out rape.

Mustering the little strength and will-power she had left, she pulled her good arm with all her might. The ropes dug into her skin. Her hand burned and she manipulated it and twisted it to pull free. When her hand miraculously came through, pieces of rope stuck into the deep cuts and stung her ferociously. Moving before Bennett could detain her arm she reached for his side and took his handgun. She cocked it and brought it to bear at his head, but before she could pull the trigger he grabbed her arm and pushed it. The shot fired into the roof.

Bennett grunted as he slapped her across the face and pried the gun away from her. He took hold of both her wrists, ignoring Serenity's shrieks of pain as he stretched open her broken arm with her whole one. He shifted his weight and adjusted himself to start finishing what he had been doing to her; Serenity clenched up and braced herself.

Someone crashed through the door. With a bellow of fury, Silver dropped his sword and threw himself at Bennett, knocking him off Serenity. They both tumbled to the floor where John straddled Bennett and proceeded to punch him in the face over and over until blood and bruises hid any trace of the man's features. They grappled and Bennett was able to throw Silver off of him. He crawled toward the dagger that he had tossed on the floor earlier. As Silver stood and fetched his sword where he had dropped it by the door, Bennett tucked the dagger behind him, out of sight.

Silver took his sword and walked back to Bennett, who was cowering on the floor. "Stand up!" Silver commanded him.

Bennett rose to one knee in the move to stand, but as soon as he stabilized his balance he lunged forward, catching Silver off guard. He sank the dagger deep into Silver's right thigh, straight through muscle, until it protruded through the other side. John buckled in pain and howled with rage, dropping his sword a second time. Concentrating his energy from a fresh adrenaline rush, Silver reach forward and snatched Bennett with both hands around the throat. He drove him forward and slammed him into the wall, lifting the man far above the ground. His fingers tightened as Bennett clawed at them, desperate for breath as life slowly escaped from him. It wasn't until Bennett's grip weakened and his eyes began to roll into the back of his head that Silver dealt the mercy blow, snapping his neck. He let go and Bennett's body collapsed in a dead heap on the floor, never to move of its own volition again.

Silver heaved as the rage and energy slowly faded. Bracing himself, he took hold of the handle of the dagger in his leg and yanked it out. A string of curses escaped him as pain seared through his entire leg. He steadied himself on the wall to keep from blacking out. When he could once again see straight he limped his way to the bed where Serenity lay, feet tied to the end of the bed, curled into as much of a fetal position as she could manage.

She was an absolute mess. Bruises, bumps and cuts covered her entire body. There were rough burns on her face and hands from ropes and sliding down coarse sail material. Her pants were torn at the crotch, which she was trying to cover with the length of her shirt as she shook with sobs. He reached toward her, running his hands along the air around her as though he were afraid to touch her. Touching her would mean that this was truly her; this poor, beat up, ruined woman lying before him.

He used the dagger to quickly saw away at the bonds that were holding her feet to the bed. As she curled into a tighter ball, John quickly took off his shirt and cut it into long strips. He tied these tightly around the wound on his thigh until the bleeding slowed. Then he grabbed one of the blankets and sat softly and timidly next to her on the bed. "Ren…" he whispered. He unfurled the blanket and wrapped it tightly around her. Gently, he pulled her up to his chest, wincing when he accidentally jumbled her broken arm. He leaned back against the headrest, one arm wrapped around her waist and the other softly caressing her hair. He held her there until her sobs lessened and faded entirely, and eventually she drifted into sleep.

He held her warm form beside him, feeling the rhythm of her body as her breathing steadied while she slept. He was very aware of her hot breath on his bare chest and her nose buried in the crook of his neck. He rested his head on hers and sighed in the relief that, though badly beaten, she was alive.

The sounds of battle had died away while they sat there, before she had fallen asleep. Though he wished to know what had happened, he had no intentions of moving from his current position. Even if Max and the rest had lost to the crew, Bennett was dead and Serenity was resting in his arms, and that was all that mattered to him at that moment.

Sometime after the battle stopped and Serenity had fallen asleep, Silver looked up to find Max and Kered standing in the doorway. Both were riddled with cuts and gashes, their clothes torn. Each of there eyes took in both Bennett's and Rick's dead bodies, as well as Silver and Serenity on the bed. None of them said a word. Max simply caught Silver's eyes and held them for a moment before giving a single, solid nod. As Silver relaxed in the knowledge that this fight was over, he rested his head on Serenity's once more, closed his eyes and slept.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, it's been forever since I've work on this story. But, I haven't forgotten! Just been extremely with work this summer. I'm going to try to be more constant about this, but I can't make any promises. Hope you enjoy the chapter! I post updates on my userpage every so often, so check that from time to time and I'll try to keep you guys up to date with where I'm at. John Silver/Treasure Planet © Disney, Serenity © myself.**


	11. Fear

Chapter Eleven - Fear

What remained of the crew turned the ship around and headed back toward Montressor. They were very lucky; without the poison diversion that John and Kered planned, the rescue mission would not have been successful. Every traitorous crew member would have been killed and Serenity would have been raped and murdered. As it was, Marty had been slain; leaving the crew was without a medic. Most of the remaining crew was fine, having suffered clean cuts with cleaner blades. However, Serenity's cuts from the dirty ropes and sails were showing early signs of infection. As she continued to rest, fleeting in and out of deep sleep and delirium, John ordered the ship to make all haste back toward the Benbow Inn.

They arrived in a couple short days, but Serenity's injuries were only looking worse. The infections, though not yet lethal, needed to be treated quickly. When they docked, John helped Serenity walk to the inn while the crew tied things up on the deck. Sarah was busy cleaning some tables when they entered the lobby. She looked up and smiled at John. "Welcome back," she said warmly. "You're back much later than we…" She stopped when she saw Serenity, whose bruises had come to full fruition, with the infections visible. She could hold herself upright and walk, and was now fully coherent, but she still looked an absolute mess. "What happened?" Sarah asked, genuinely concerned.

Serenity smiled through the swelling. "I started a small fight." John mentally shook his head. Did she _ever_ pass a chance to make a sarcastic comment? He looked at Sarah.

"I hope ye don't mind, but we need a medic as fast as ye can get one."

Sarah sprinted toward the kitchen, calling for her dad. As she did, Kered joined them inside the lobby. "Ship's secure," he said. He, too, was still recovering from some of his wounds, but his weren't terribly bad. He looked beat up, but that would change after his bruises healed. Sarah ran back inside, her father trailing shortly behind her.

"Ah, Mr. Pratchett," John said.

"Please, John, call me Jesse. I believe we have associated enough with each other to be on a casual basis." Jesse looked at Serenity. "Get into a bit of a scuff, have we?" He smiled in a fatherly manner.

"You really don't want to know," Serenity replied with a smirk.

"Well, I am sending Sarah to go get Dr. Doppler. He should be here within a couple hours."

John nodded. Then he looked at Kered and said, "Go with her an' let th' doc know what happened so that he brings everyt'ing he might need." Sarah and her father looked at Kered nervously. It was obvious that neither trusted the young girl to take the short trip alone with a brutish looking stranger. It was Serenity that spoke up.

"Don't worry about Sarah. Kered is a good man. He helped save my life a couple days ago; I trust him with Sarah's."

Jesse nodded and the two left. "My wife Melinda is upstairs in room four preparing a hot bath and some home remedies to slow the progress of your injuries until the doctor gets here. Go on upstairs, Serenity, and get yourself cleaned up and treated." She thanked him and did as he bid. When she disappeared at the top of the stairs, Jesse turned to Silver, a frown on his face. "I know it's none of my business, but what the hell happened?"

John sighed, feeling a headache coming on. "It's a fairly long story. Let me beg a glass 'o ale out o' ye and I'll tell it. Actually, ye may want to prepare a few glasses; the rest o' the crew will be comin' in shortly an' they'll be wanting some." Jesse disappeared into the kitchen and returned in a few moments with a tray full of ales. After John took a deep swig and felt his body begin to relax, he began his tale.

Eventually, the rest of the crew came to the inn. They helped themselves to the proffered ales and relaxed at a couple of other tables. There were only six crew members left, not including Max, who was sitting with Silver and Jesse. They had long since moved to a different, cheerier conversation by the time Serenity came back downstairs. She was joined by Melinda, who was a small framed woman with dark red hair and striking brown eyes. The room went quiet as they descended the stairs. Serenity had been cleaned up, sporting a new makeshift splint for her broken arm, and was wearing a dress. It was plain yellow and a little small for her, but looked quite lovely. She wore no shoes. Serenity held herself as though she felt awkward; none of them had ever seen her in a dress before. The two of them passed through the lobby to where John, Max and Jesse were seated. As they walked by, the crew members lifted their glasses to Serenity and took a hearty gulp. They were glad she was recovering.

John felt warmth circulating through his body that he'd never felt before as he looked at her. He felt almost giddy and didn't seem to noticed that he hadn't taken his eyes off her since she'd come back downstairs. The dress stopped just above her knees, hinting at a set of shapely legs sporting their own small bruises and cuts. Because the dress was just a little too small for her it fit snugly on her torso, accentuating her chest and the curves of her hips. Her hair, normally hanging loose around her face, was clean and pulled neatly back to keep it from sticking to the ointments on her bruises. Silver momentarily lost his ability to think straight. Max kicked him beneath the table to get his attention. "You're staring," he said, not bothering to keep his voice low.

Oh.

"Sorry," he muttered, taking a drink of his ale so he could hide his face in the glass. He felt the heat rising to his cheeks and thanked fate once again for his tanned skin that hid the worst of his blush.

Melinda placed a hand on her husband's shoulder. He took it with both of his own big hands and kissed it. "I've allowed John and their group to stay here free for a couple of nights, so they can rest. I hope you don't mind, my love."

"Not at all, dearest," she demurred with a smile. "What I do mind is that you have been sitting in here for so long and you've yet to get them something substantial to fill their stomachs."

"Right as always," he grinned. He kissed her hand one more time and stood to retreat to the kitchen. Melinda winked at the three of them and followed her husband.

Serenity pulled back a chair and sat with them at the table.

"How are you feeling?" Max asked her.

She nodded. "I'm feeling a little better. Cleaner, at least. These infections are starting to hurt, though. I'll feel better when the doctor gets here." They chatted for a while, though John was unusually quiet. When Melinda came out with the first few plates of food, Serenity started to stand up. John placed a hand on her shoulder to sit her back down, ignoring the butterflies that erupted in his stomach when he touched her. "Sit," he said. "I'll help her. No, don't argue with me. I know you're not useless; just sit and enjoy having someone else do the work for once." He held her eyes until she smiled and shook her head, defeated. John stood and helped Melinda serve food, while Max pulled another chair to the table so Jesse and his wife could both sit with them.

Max smiled at Ren in his mischievous manner. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were embarrassed to be in that dress."

"I may be in a skirt, in pain and injured, but I'm not afraid to grab that soapy mop in the corner and hit you again."

He laughed. "Well, relax. You look beautiful."

There was a long pause. Quietly, Serenity looked him in the eyes and whispered, "Thank you." She was not thanking him for the compliment, but for his part in helping her escape from Bennett with her life. Max nodded; he understood.

John and the Pratchetts sat back down at the table, after making sure everyone had food and plenty to drink. Serenity and Melinda both took glasses of water, preferring to stay away from alcohol. They enjoyed each other's company and relaxed until Kered and Sarah returned with the doctor. He was a humanoid canine, build in anatomy like a human with the physical features of a dog. He was tall and lean, with a largely protruding snout and a set of spectacles. His son, slightly older than Sarah and the striking image of his father, was also with them. While Sarah ran back to the kitchen to fill some plates for Kered and herself, the doctor and his son approached their table. Jesse stood to shake his hand. "Doctor," Jesse greeted him.

"Jesse," he returned. "Ah, and Miss Melinda." He bent down to place a respectful kiss on Melinda's cheek, and she returned the gesture. "I have no need to ask who it is that needs my attention," he stated with a slight smile, looking at Serenity. "I am Dr. Hubert Doppler, and this is my son Delpert. Seems you have taken quite a thumping, Miss…"

"Serenity," Ren said, extending a hand. "If you think I look bad, you should see the other guy. John, here, pounded his face in so hard not even his mother could have recognized him afterward." Silver felt the warmth inside of him again. She had said it with light humor, but it was true; and he knew that Serenity's comment was her way of thanking him for what he'd done.

"I'm sure I'd feel the same way if a man mishandled my own lady," Hubert admitted, shaking Serenity's offered hand. John had been taking a drink of his ale and choked on it. The rest of the crew stopped what they were doing to look curiously in their direction. Serenity only smiled and said, "We're just friends." Neither she nor John looked at each other. Max grinned into his cup, amused.

"My apologies; I assumed." A look in the doctor's eyes betrayed that he didn't believe her in the slightest. "Shall we? Those infections won't get any better while we sit and chat."

"Yes, of course." Serenity and Melinda stood and accompanied the doctor upstairs to Serenity's room. His son, dismissed, sat down where Sarah was enjoying her dinner; the two of them had obviously known each other for some time and were friends. The rest of the crew went back to what they had been doing, leaving John and Max at the table with Jesse.

"Why don't you say anything to her?" Jesse asked. It took Silver a moment to realize Jesse was talking to him.

"Is there somet'ing I'm supposed t' say t' her?" he asked, confused.

Jesse wagged a finger at him. "Don't you play dumb with me; I'm a married man and I know that look anywhere. You love her."

"Why do people keep saying that?"

"Because it's true."

Silver sighed. His question had been rhetorical. "She wouldn't see me as more than a friend, anyways," he muttered.

Max continued to smirk into his drink while Jesse shook his head. "If that's what you want to tell yourself," he said.

* * *

Eventually, they all went to bed. The doctor left shortly after tending to Serenity and some of the other men, and said that he would return in a couple days to see how she was healing. He advised her to keep from doing anything too physically straining and, if at all possible, to stay out of fights. She only smiled and bade him farewell, thanking him for his generosity.

The inn was small enough that everyone had to share a room, but they were so tired that no one cared. The only person with a room to herself was Serenity. John and Max slept in the room next to hers. Rather than share the bed with Max, John pulled a blanket and pillow and slept on the floor near the wall. The rooms were small and the walls were thin, so it wasn't a surprise when John woke in the middle of the night from the noise coming in the room next door. When he sat up and shook his head to clear the drowsiness, he listened. The room next door was Serenity's. _Is she crying?_ Silver sat there for a moment, concerned. He wanted to go to her, but wasn't sure. He was slowly starting to accept his feelings for her, but knew she didn't share them. He knew the more he built up his hopes the harder they would burst. He also knew her pride and wasn't sure if she would appreciate him coming to her when she felt vulnerable.

Max shifted in the bed and, without looking at John or opening his eyes, said, "Go to her, if only so I can get back to sleep." Without further ado he began to snore again. John shook his head; but at least he now had an excuse. He stood up and walked out of the room, not bothering to put a shirt on.

Outside her door, he knocked lightly. When he was sure she hadn't heard him, he tested the knob and it was unlocked. So, he opened the door and poked his head in. "Serenity?" he called softly.

She stifled her tears and sat up, still sniffing. "John?" She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Ren, what's wrong?" He walked inside, closing the door behind him, and sat down next to her on the bed when she made room for him.

"Oh, John, I'm just so confused," she confessed. "I know Bennett is dead, but I'm still scared. I hurt, physically, and my mind feels worn. I feel like this is all a dream. I was so sure that I was going to die that I can't seem to get back into living. And then I think of all the crew members that died, some trying to save me and some trying to condemn me, and how you could have been one of those men, and I just feel so terrible for causing their deaths…" She crumpled into a fresh stream of tears, though these were quieter than earlier. "And then I started to think about things I haven't told you, yet. I want to, terribly, but I just can't because I don't want to hurt you any more than I have and…" She stopped trying to calm herself a bit. "Ugh, look at me, I've opened my mouth and blabbed on about things I shouldn't have."

"Serenity, look at me." She did. She had the most beautiful eyes, and even in the dark moonlight they glistened through the tears. It was all he could stand to not confess everything he felt to her and to take her into his arms. He reached toward the bedside table where her handkerchief lay and took the cloth. He put his other hand behind her head and dried her face and eyes gently with the fabric. They never took their eyes off of each other as he did it. His entire body burned with warmth. He could feel himself shaking with desire to hold her tightly, as though that would take away all her pain. He wanted nothing more than to see her happy and alive again. "Ye don't ever have t' tell me anyt'ing ye don't want to," he said, handing her the cloth. "I would never force ye t' tell me anyt'ing personal or t' do anyt'ing ye don't want t' do."

That started another welling of tears. "No, no," he said. He put both hands on either side of her face and gently used the pads of his thumbs to wipe off the newly forming moisture. "Please, don't cry," he begged. "I'm not used t' seeing ye this way an' it's breaking my heart."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, trying to fight off the tears. He continued to hold her head, caressing her face with his thumbs until she was calm. "I don't think I ever thanked you, John, for coming for me; for saving my life."

He shook his head. "You don't have to."

"Yes I do. I just…" She started a couple times as if to say something, but the words never came out. Finally she said, "Thank you, John."

I would gladly do it again, he wanted to say. I would risk it all again for you. But all he could work out was, "Don't mention it."

They sat in a comforting silence for a good while until Serenity was ready to try going to sleep again. "John," she started, when he stood up. He looked at her, ready to do anything she needed. "This is rather embarrassing to ask of you, but… it's just that I didn't get at all near falling asleep tonight. I was kept awake by my thoughts and my fears. I've felt so much better since you've come to comfort me. I just… would you mind terribly staying in here until I fell asleep? It's childish of me to ask, and you can say no, I know you need to sleep…"

"I'll stay in here as long as you need me to," he said.

"Thank you." She gave him one of the pillows and he made himself temporarily comfortable on the floor while she lay down on the bed and tried once more to sleep. His hands seemed to buzz where they had touched her face. He wondered what it was about her that she hadn't told him, and why such knowledge would hurt him. Certainly she had her reasons for keeping silent, but it was obviously important if it was enough to add to her tears. He wasn't going to press the matter, but his curiosity was hooked. He was laying there, wide awake and completely aware of her presence, for a half hour when he heard her start to sniffle again. He sat up to look at her.

"Ren?"

"Oh," she moaned to herself when she realized he had heard her. He put the pillow back on the bed and crawled under the covers next to her, gently maneuvering her until she faced him. He put an arm around her shoulder and she squirmed in tightly next to him, sniffling into his bare chest. The warmth inside him blazed into a fire and his body hummed with pleasure as she lay so close to him. Her body fit comfortably against his. _A perfect fit_, he thought happily, stroking her hair.

He had every intention of holding her until she was asleep and then retiring to his own room. Soon enough, her breathing slowed and she fell asleep. He knew he should go, but he was so comfortable that he couldn't make himself leave. Her head was tucked under his chin, her nose burrowed into the crook of his neck, and her good arm was pressed lightly against his torso. Content, he, too, fell into a deep slumber. When he woke in the morning the first thing he saw was Serenity, still snuggled against him. They hadn't moved all night.

* * *

Serenity was awake, but her eyes were closed. She was very conscious of John sleeping next to her. The last time she had shared a bed with him in this inn she had woken up to his face, inches from her own. He had been handsome then, even with tousled bed hair and morning breath. When she had woken up that last time she had been caught slightly off guard with him being so close. She remembers having reached up her hand to gently stroke his cheek, but had stopped before touching him, sighing to herself. She had known then, like now, that what she wanted could never be.

Currently, she continued to lie next to him, unwilling to move from what she knew wouldn't last much longer. She had been so distraught last night, pummeled with her fears and her sadness. She had only told him about part of what was bothering her last night. Everything she had told him, about Bennett and the pain and fear he caused her, and with the deaths of all those men, was terrible and it bothered her, but it hadn't been what had started the tears. She had started crying when she let her thoughts sink into her love for him, a torch she had been carrying for longer than Silver knew. She knew it could never be. She longed to be his everyday, but knew that allowing herself such pleasures would distract her from avenging her family's brutal murders. It wasn't that she didn't love him; she did. But her family was important to her and she knew that more innocent families would continue to be killed if Flint was allowed to continue living as he had been. She couldn't be swayed from her destiny. It was also very likely that she would die in her attempts to assassinate him. She didn't feel right leading Silver on, though she realized it was too late for that now. Not meeting his gaze last night while she had been wearing the dress Melinda lent her was Serenity's last, feeble attempt at ignoring the knowledge of John's growing feelings for her.

When he had come to her last night she hadn't realized she had been crying loud enough for him to hear. She had wanted more than anything to run to him in her time of need, but he had come for her, just like he did on _Foul Wind_. When he came and comforted her, her will power broke. His touch was so wonderful and she needed him so badly that she couldn't bring herself to push him away, even though she knew she was leading him on to something she couldn't fully offer him. She had let herself melt to his hands, which had so softly caressed her face and dried her tears. When she realized it was time to go to sleep, she hadn't wanted him to leave. She did need him there. It was as though his presence abated all her fears and worries. She had been so happy when he agreed to stay, but with him sleeping on the floor it was as though he wasn't there at all and she had eventually started crying again until he came and joined her in the bed. Nestled next to him, she had fallen asleep almost instantly, content in the present, but knowing the morning would bring with it regret.

And it did. She had led him on, and now she would have to break his heart. It was too late for subtleties. She didn't have the nerve to do it now that she knew for sure he held the same feelings she did. What a mess she had gotten herself into!

She felt him stir and knew he was going to be awake any moment. She knew this peaceful moment had to end some time, though she could have stayed there forever. As he woke he turned his head down so that his nose and mouth rested on her forehead and his hand reached up to cup the back of her head. She wondered, knowingly in vain, what it would be like to turn up her head and kiss him. She knew he had probably been with other women before, and that didn't bother her even though she had never had any romantic exchanges with any man. When did she have time, throughout all the masquerading as a boy on ships full of pirates?

She would have to open her eyes soon, but was afraid that if she looked at him she wouldn't be able to keep herself from him. He nuzzled her with his chin and the hand stroking her hair was moving enough that it would have woken her had she been asleep. It was now or never. She stirred as if waking. He moved his head back and as she opened her eyes and gazed at him, she knew she was about to lose further ground. His hand moved from her hair to caress her face as they looked at each other. She couldn't make herself stop him when he cupped her cheek and placed his lips on hers.

The kiss was electrifying. It was tender and gentle, but passionate. Serenity tried only for a fleeting moment to resist his warm lips, but knew all along she couldn't do it. She loved him too much. Abandoning all her reason, she reached her good hand up until her fingers ran through the hairs on the back of his head and she kissed him back. They did no more than kiss, but it lasted for several minutes and felt like an eternity of bliss. As they shared their experience, Serenity moved her arm, wrapping it around his neck, and he shifted his hand from her cheek, running it down her back until he could wrap his arm around her waist.

As their passion slowed, they removed their lips from each other and embraced. John kissed her neck and shoulder softly a couple of times, and Serenity cherished the moment, knowing that it would be the only time she could experience it. When she fully woke from this dream-state she would have to do the right thing. She knew she was being selfish, but she had wanted a moment like this since that night she first told John about what had happened to her family. That felt like so long ago, back on _Crossblade_ when John still knew her as Ren the young boy.

It was now past dawn and Silver had to get ready for a day's work. He fully planned on doing what he could as thanks for the complimentary housing. They loosened their hug, and John kissed her again; a single, long kiss. Then he smiled happily at her and sat up. He stretched and made to move off the bed until Serenity sat up and held his arm. "Don't go," she whispered sadly, knowing that as soon as he left through that door her temporary euphoria would have to end and she would not be able to allow herself another moment like this with him again. John, of course, had no notion of her intentions.

"I have to," he whispered back. He pulled her arm up to his lips and kissed it. "My clothes are in th' other room, and I want t' make sure I earn my part o' this free housing. I don't want t' take advantage of th' Pratchetts' kindness."

"Of course not," she said quietly. She was slowly forcing herself to get a grip on her control. She had already set him up for enough hurt.

He ran the back of his fingers slowly down the side of her face, and when she diverted his gaze he lifted her chin until she looked at him again. "I don't want t' see ye sad, Serenity. I'm going t' be here with ye for a long while. If ye need anyt'ing all ye have t' do is ask me; I'll be here for ye." He smiled at her one more time. Then, he got up from the bed, still clad in only his shorts, and walked out. Serenity watched him go and after he shut the door she fell slowly back onto the bed. She curled into a ball and stared into nothing, focusing her thoughts on what she knew she had to do.

* * *

That day, Silver was unusually energetic as he worked in and outside of the Benbow. The crew spent their time during the day doing work for the Pratchetts to earn their room and board. Jesse and Melinda protested at first, but found that even a small group of sailors could be persistent. They inspected the entire Inn board by board, fixing leaks and loose wood. They also cut down a few of the trees from the small forest surrounding the inn and cut them into firewood. There was enough to last them the next couple winters. A few of them fixed some of the wobbly tables and chairs in the lobby, as well as re-secured the aging fence that ran along the tall cliff the inn was set on.

After he had woken up next to Serenity and saw her still lying next to him, he found that there was no way to precisely word what he was feeling. He had lain there for a moment, stroking her hair, trying to think of what he would say when she woke. He wasn't exactly used to this romantic business; he'd never even had a girlfriend before. It wasn't that he didn't like women, because he certainly did, but none of the ones he knew had ever been able to keep his interest, even the ones who hinted that they liked him. Serenity, however, was always surprising him, though she didn't always do so on purpose. Even after having known her for almost a year there was always an air of mystery surrounding her. Silver liked it. But he still didn't know how to speak to her, especially after a moment like this.

So, when she woke up and turned her head to look at him, he didn't say anything. What was there to say? His body seemed to move on its own and he felt surreal as he leaned in to kiss her. And, by thunder! What a kiss! He had never been happier than at that time, and the bliss was still lingering around him. His oddly chipper behavior brought weird looks from the rest of the men. If they had suspicions they kept them to their selves. Except for Max, of course.

Max came over where John was chopping firewood. He hadn't been in the room when John returned that morning. He greeted Max with a smile.

"I see," Max said automatically, with a knowing look in his eye. John didn't even bother trying to hide the bigger smile that followed. He simply went back to chopping wood and Max grabbed an axe to help him. A little while later, Serenity emerged from the inn. She was wearing another dress, this one a deep, plaid green. It seemed that Melinda was lending her clothes while she properly fixed Serenity's torn top and trousers. She was carrying a tray full of water which she carefully set down on a table outside. She hadn't seen him. John decided he was thirsty and took a short break, though he knew he really just wanted to be near to her.

"Hey, you," he said cheerfully. She turned, surprised, and blushed.

"Hey," she said quietly. She looked down at the glasses and tucked her hair behind her ear. There was an awkward silence as neither of them spoke.

John motioned to the waters. "May I?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, stepping back so he could take one of the glasses. "I brought those out for Melinda. She was concerned you would all get dehydrated."

"Of course," he said. He sat on the table so he could face her. She didn't move, but she also didn't say anything. Her gaze kept flicking to and from him, and her blush remained. The men came over to get drinks and take a break of their own.

"How are you feeling, Miss Serenity?" one of the crew asked.

She smiled. "I'm doing alright. The medicines are taking off the edge of the pain, and my infections look healthier already."

"Swelling's gone down, too," Kered said. He placed a hand on her shoulder in acknowledgment, downed the contents of his drink, and went back to work.

"I'm going to go for a walk," she said abruptly. She cut through the group and walked briskly toward the forest, slowing when she got close. Silver frowned and stood to follow her, but was stopped by Max.

"Leave her be," he said. "That's the look of a woman who needs some time to herself. Seems she's got much on her mind." With that, he returned to chopping wood. John watched her until she disappeared into the trees before getting back to work.

She didn't emerge from the woods until several hours later. As it was, she wasn't allowed to do any work until her infections and arm completely healed, so she would do what little she could for Melinda and Jesse before going for a walk in the woods. It became a daily routine for her. The doctor came by every couple of days to check up on her, and she was healing quickly though the arm would take time. Soon enough her swellings disappeared and all but the worst bruises had completely faded.

John had never gotten the opportunity to be alone with her again since that first morning. Occasionally he would join her for her daily wanderings, but Serenity always invited someone else to come with them. She was quickly becoming her usual self again, but made no acknowledgment that anything had happened between them, and Silver was becoming confused. He tried to distract himself with other business: he found the rabbit-man he had stolen the longboat from and returned the boat in one piece with a generous handful of the Mooric pence and an explanation for taking the boat. The gentleman understood, once he had been informed, but left quickly afterward, glad to have his boat back. He also got the crew to start working on the ship, cleaning it up and changing some things, as well as sitting down with Max to discuss future operations. Serenity would join them sometimes, but she was typically absent for these conversations, spending a lot of time by herself. After a week or so, all but John, Serenity and Max had moved to living on the ship so that Jesse would have the rooms open for patrons.

John had the captain's cabin and the first-mate's quarters cleaned up. Everything of Bennett's, whether it had value or not, was removed from the ship and destroyed. Silver sawed away a section of the wall that separated the two cabins and put a door there, with a lock, so the rooms were accessible without having to go to the deck. The ship was theirs now, of course. Bennett was dead and Max had no wish to claim it, so John and Serenity made it theirs. One of the last things they did was sand away the painted name on the hull, replacing _Foul Wind_ with _Redemption_.

Two months later, the ship was complete. Serenity's arm had healed enough that she no longer needed the sling. John offered jobs to the remaining men if they wished to stay, but most of them declined. It had been a long time since they had seen their families, and with the money split between them that Bennett left behind, they would not be in need for quite some time. So, they opted to work their way to their respective homes. The only ones who stayed were Kered and Max.

"I won't stay too long, though," Max told them. "Just enough to make sure you get the hang of the ship and find yourself a good crew. I have my own family to catch up with."

Serenity visibly jumped. "They let pedophiles have families?" They smiled at each other. "Sorry," she said, "but calling you that is never going to get old, no matter how untrue it is."

"My wife is quite the spirited woman. When I left her last to work with Bennett she was so angry that she hit me with a frying pan and told me never to come back. I suspect she's probably calmed down enough by now. I typically receive a most warm welcome from my travels." He winked.

One by one, the men caught rides with friendly strangers who were heading to the Spaceport. There, they would pay the fare to return to their homes. Each was a sad parting, and Serenity made sure to give each man a hug and thank him for what he had done to help save her life.

After the men had left, the four of them moved to the ship. John had the main cabin and Serenity was in Max's old quarters, while Max and Kered slept in hammocks under the deck. John was sitting in his room, considering some of the plans he and Max discussed about acquiring a crew, when he heard the outside door to Serenity's room open and close. Even with the rest of the men gone, Silver still hadn't gotten the opportunity to be with just her. It had been about two and a half months, and he was no longer sure that morning had even happened. Serenity didn't look at him often, and when she did she made no indication that she felt anything for him. He had slowly progressed from elation, to confusion, and into a simmering bitterness. Why was she ignoring him? He was frustrated because he had finally had her in his arms, returning his passion, and now there was nothing. What was bothering her? Looking out his window, he saw that it was late in the evening. Jesse and Melinda would be in bed already, so where was Ren going?

John put on his boots and quietly opened the door. He saw her walking down the gangplank onto the dock, toward the inn, and was surprised to see her sword at her hip. But when she reached the field she turned and headed toward the forest. He knew she went on day walks, but he was not so sure she indulged in night ones. He grabbed a jacket and followed her.

The forest was small, but old. The trees were tall and thick, and there was little debris on the ground because it was summer. He wandered quietly in the general direction he had seen her go. It wasn't hard to find her. He heard the sound of wood chipping and followed it. When he knew he was close he picked a nearby tree to climb and hoisted himself into the leafy branches. There was a sturdy branch that extended into the small clearing she was in. It provided a lot of cover and she probably wouldn't see him if she bothered to look up. He crawled quietly along the branch until he could see her, and watched.

She had her sword out and was hacking at the tree in front of her. At first it was a timely pattern dance, but as she continued it quickened, becoming more passionate. Chips of wood went flying to the ground as she swung her blade, gracefully switching it back and forth between her right and left hands. She moved the steel easily no matter which hand she used. _Did I know she was ambidextrous?_ John asked himself. He continued to watch, fascinated. Her organized pattern dance quickly fell into an emotional chaos. Before his eyes she devolved from an expert swordswoman to an emotional wreck, and was soon hitting the tree just to hit it. She was sweating profusely and he could see she was tiring quickly. She was also holding her left arm awkwardly, because it had not quite fully healed and she was over straining it.

With an anguished cry, she turned around and threw her sword into the forest where it landed close to the base of John's tree. She stood for a moment, heaving, and then began to cry. As her tears built up she collapsed to the ground where she bowed her head to her knees and sobbed. She cried for what felt like an hour. He couldn't quite hear her, but knew she was talking out loud as she cried, the words mostly muffled by her pants, which had long since been fixed. He picked up a few words, such as "Why?" and "I can't." After a while she calmed, but she didn't move. She sat, staring at the stars for an endless amount of time.

He wasn't sure how long they had been out there when she finally stood. Wordlessly, she walked to where her sword lay and picked it up, sheathing it. She looked blankly at the tree in front of her and after a moment took out one of her daggers and carefully carved something into the trunk. Satisfied, she put the knife away and walked back through the forest and to the ship.

When Silver was sure she had gone, he climbed down the tree and walked to the small clearing. He looked at the tree she had used for target practice: it was thoroughly cut up, with a large dent in it from so much missing wood. He suspected this wasn't the first time she had practiced here. Then he walked to the other tree to see what she had left on it. It was hard to read in the darkness, but the light cast from the Spaceport was enough to illuminate the message: "I'm sorry." He placed his hand on the carving and frowned.

**((AUTHOR'S NOTE: So there I was, sitting in my living room and studying for a midterm, when I had the random urge to work on my fic again. I have a few friends that have been bugging me about it recently, so I thought it was a good time to start writing. Granted, I neglected studying for my midterm until the day of and probably failed the test, but I should be alright. It was very interesting for me to write this chapter. My head was pounding after a while because I'm not really much for romance novels or movies, and here I am writing what turned out to be an entirely romantic chapter. Surprisingly enough, this wasn't exactly what I had planned. So far I have about 22 chapters outlined for this book, and the content in each chapter. The chapter numbers wax and wane as I write; this is because, as I'm writing, I sometimes discover that the content I have listed for each chapter either turned out to be too long or too short, so I adjust accordingly. This particular chapter was one of those times. I had much more planned for this chapter, but the content itself changed from what I had originally planned. In this section, Silver was only going to comfort Serenity a little bit and that was going to be all. In fact, there wasn't supposed to be any mutual romantic development until chapter 17. But as I kept writing everything fell into place. I could visualize it all in my mind and, though it wasn't what I originally planned, I knew it was where it had to be. My reasons for this are not for you to learn yet… but perhaps I will remember to tell you why at the end, if you don't figure it out for yourself. It didn't change anything major in my story, but now I need to go to my outline and adjust a few things. In the meantime, I hope this is sufficient for you as far as a romantic moment. I implored my boyfriend to give me some inspiration for the kiss. ;) Anyway, I'm not sure when I will have time to start the next chapter. The end of my semester is coming up and I have about 4 research papers I need to write. Hopefully I'll have some time this summer, but I don't know that I will. I will do my best to keep you all posted. John Silver/Treasure Planet © Disney, Serenity © myself.))**


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